Ariadne Massa
Animals' ambulance runs out of funds
€1,200 a week is required for the animal ambulance to be run effectively.
The animal ambulance, which rescued more than 800 cats and dogs in five months, is on the critical list after the government's financial backing dried up.
The six-month pilot project was introduced last June by the Rural Affairs Ministry, which gave the Noah's Ark animal sanctuary €30,000 and a fully paid government worker to manage the 24-hour ambulance service.
However, Noah's Ark, which operates two ambulances, now has to dig deep into its pockets to keep the service going.
For years, anyone coming across an injured stray depended on the goodwill of voluntary organisations - which were often already full to capacity - so the demand for an animal ambulance became overwhelming.
Sanctuary founder Fabio Ciappara said the animal ambulance realistically needed at least €1,200 a week to be run effectively.
"The way things stand, we owe €2,000 in vet bills and special food we buy for injured animals," he said, expressing concern at how Noah's Ark could meet the contract's terms and continue running the service until the end of the year.
"I don't know what will happen once the six months are up and I hand over the keys of the ambulance to the minister," he said, insisting that whoever took on the job from Noah's Ark should be provided with more resources.
When asked if the animal ambulance would cease to exist once the agreement with Noah's Ark expired in seven weeks' time, a ministry spokesman said an alternative arrangement was planned to ease the burden on the NGO. However, he did not provide details.
Though welcoming the government's initiative, Mr Ciappara pointed to a number of shortcomings, among them the lack of proper equipment such as nets to catch cats, protective gloves and clothing. But most worrying is that the animal aftercare centre in Ta' Qali is not yet up and running.
Consequently, strays needing round-the-clock attention and nursing often have to be put down. Mr Ciappara said just last Tuesday they replied to a distress call in Siġġiewi where a family had come across a dog convulsing on the pavement.
"This dog had been poisoned and sadly we had to take it to the vet to be put down. If the aftercare centre was open it may have lived because it would have been given the 24/7 veterinary care it needed.
At Noah's Ark we can only provide limited aftercare," he said, adding most people were under the illusion this centre was already fully operational.
This shell of the centre in Ta' Qali, which is mainly geared to provide rehabilitation for and convalescence of strays brought in for surgery and treatment, is ready but it will take some time before it can start functioning.
When contacted, the ministry spokesman said the centre would open "next year". When pushed to say when, he said the target was the first half of 2010, but all this depended on the progress of the works.
"Discussions are ongoing to evaluate the recent issue of an expression of interest by NGOs and other entities willing to run the centre, in conjunction with the government, to offer the best comprehensive 24-hour service to strays," he said.
He said the money provided to Noah's Ark to run the ambulance service also covered homing injured animals. However, Mr Ciappara said they could only provide limited aftercare at the sanctuary.
"The aftercare centre, which should have already opened, will resolve our problems," he said.
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C farrugia
Nov 15th 2009, 21:37
what a shame and disgrace !!!! animal welfare ... still a long way to go in this little island !!! can the government do something about this or is this considered a waste of money ! SHAMEFUL !
emanuel magrin
Nov 15th 2009, 16:12
For everyone's information please note that the SOS ANIMALS MALTA ANIMAL WELFARE FUND - www.sosanimalsmalta.com - distributed over EUR7000 in the form of food and medicine vouchers in 2009. These funds were collected during the Charity Ride Marathon organised by the ON THE ROAD TV PROGRAMME of ONE PRODUCTIONS. The beneficiaries were the most needy animal carers and sanctuaries in Malta.
Hopefully we will be able to distribute more food and medicine vouchers to the most needy animal carers in 2010. We were again informed by Ms. Nevise Borg Caligari - the organiser of the Charity Ride and presenter of ON THE ROAD TV PROGRAMME - that ALL proceeds from the 2009 will go into the SOS ANIMALS MALTA ANIMAL WELFARE FUND. I would like to take this opportunity to invite all animal lovers to follow the promos already being aired and publicised to help the poorest of the poor - THE STRAYS WHO HAVE NOTHING.
WORKING FOR THE ANIMALS.
Emanuel Magrin
Custodian
SOS ANIMALS MALTA ANIMAL WELFARE FUND
Franco Farrugia
Nov 15th 2009, 13:35
EUR. EUR. 1,200 a week to run this service. Can we have a detailed breakdown as to how the 'authorities' have come to this fee????? Go on. We wish to know. Things are 'transparent', after all, are they not?
Franco Farrugia
Nov 15th 2009, 13:34
But we knew that this would happen. This is no news at all. So much for us being called 'armchair critics', now. Not very 'armchair', now, are we???? It seems that we don't just spend our time sitting on an 'armchair' but we seem to be in the thick of things, dear 'authorities'. And we have our ears to the ground! Of course we do, because WE are doing the caring of animals, out in the streets.
So, this news comes as no surprise.
David Agius
Nov 15th 2009, 13:16
The biggest percentage of taxpayers are animal lovers in one way or another.It is shameful that the government does not allocate a part of that money to those animals we love so dearly. They are God's creatures too and they deserve a part of taxes collected to be allocated for their welfare Seems like everybody gets back in one way or another some of these taxes collected except animal lovers. Are we christians by name only .Tell me . How does the minister concerned sleep at nght when he reads every day about all this cruelty going on Shame Shame. Shame
J Gouder
Nov 15th 2009, 12:31
(cont) Obviously it is now quite clear that the animal ambulance had very little funds to work with, so I'm not surprised and neither do I blame them.
However this particular experience for me, as an animal lover was very distressing. Animal cruelty is rampant, and the few people / organisation why try to counter it, are blocked and countered at every turn.
J Gouder
Nov 15th 2009, 12:28
This news is a pity and a big disgrace. Not that the service was great to begin with - I myself asked for the ambulance's help some weeks ago when I found a poisoned cat on the pavement.. 2 hours later no one had turned up yet. When I called again I was told that the ambulance was on another rescue.
In the end, I called the emergency vet number - which by the way costs 5 euros per call - and was going to take the poor cat to the vet on duty, and obviously I had resigned myself that I will have to pay for the vet bill and also aftercare. Unfortunately, the cat died in my car before i could reach the vet.
On that day I was very angry that I got no help whatsoever.. I think I called at least 3 so-called animal welfare NGO's and was turned down. I even phoned some vets personally (when i decided that forking out my own money seemed the only option to save this cat) and was told to call the emergency service, even though they were open!! (cont)
C.Scerri
Nov 15th 2009, 11:54
Is it possible that we cannot find 70000 Euros for this service? What about the good causes fund beiong put into this service? It also means 50 Euro cents per famly per year - is this askign to much?
Maybe the government could introduce the 1 per 1000 concept of donating that part of one's income tax to such a fund.
Come on guys show that you care for our animal friends
charles grech
Nov 15th 2009, 09:53
Its a pity. How does the government going to convince animal lovers that an animal hospital be built when government could not even support an animal ambulance service. PROGETT FALLUT IEHOR.
Sur MINISTRA PULLICINO B'min tahseb li qed tidhaqq.
Your government was not able to waive off dues on two animal ambulances donated to The Saint Francis Foundation for Animals let alone run an animal ambulances service and an animal hospital. YOU WERE WARNED. RESIGN.