Claudia Calleja
New Year heralds better rescue chances for animals in distress
A dog got his head stuck between two bricks in July and was rescued only because someone called the animal ambulance. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli
An Alsatian dog fell into an abandoned basement where it remained for four days before someone heard its desperate whimpers and called for an animal ambulance.
In another case, a small dog, tied up in an abandoned shack, got its head jammed between two bricks and could not reach the stale food nearby before it was released by rescuers, animal welfare officer Godric Marston recalled.
The two dogs, and countless other animals, are alive today only because someone bothered calling for help.
As the calendar flipped to 2010, wounded cats and dogs will have a greater chance of being rescued as the animal ambulance service is extended to a 24-hour, daily service.
This means animal lovers who notice a limping dog, witness a cat being run over or a malnourished skeletal animal roaming the streets can call for assistance any time of the day.
People can contact the police headquarters on 2122 4001 and the call will then be referred to the Animal Welfare Departments' ambulance drivers who will go to the rescue in one of three ambulances.
A rescued animal will then be taken to a vet and eventually to a sanctuary where it will be homed. Animals will only be put down if there is no hope of a recovery.
In July, animal sanctuary Noah's Ark was contracted to run the animal ambulance pilot project for six months during which time over 2,000 animals were rescued, neutered and micro-chipped. The government forked out €15,000 to finance this six-month project. Now that the Noah's Ark contract is up, the service will be run by the Animal Welfare Department that increased the ambulance fleet from two to three vehicles.
Noah's Ark founder Fabio Ciappara welcomed the government's initiative to extend the "successful" service. "We still have 92 rescued dogs that still need to be homed... I hope the government helps us," he said.
The three ambulances will not operate all at once.
A team of eight people would work on a shift basis to ensure that the service was manned all the time so that each rescue could be seen to, Animal Welfare Department director Mario Spiteri said.
Once the animals are rescued by the ambulances they will be taken to one of several animal sanctuaries following an agreement reached between the department and a number of non-governmental organisations, including Noah's Ark. This would continue until the Ta' Qali animal after-care centre opened its doors later on this year, a spokesman for the Resources Ministry said.
It was difficult to quantify the cost of rescues because it all depended on how many calls were made and the state of the animal saved, the spokesman said. He added the ministry thanked Noah's Ark for its collaboration during the pilot project and encouraged people to adopt the animals from the sanctuaries.
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godric marston
Jan 4th 2010, 18:41
sur vella bardon ma nafx min fejn gibta li l animal welfare ma jwiegbux it telephone ghax meta icekkjajt personalment mad depot ma qalux hekk u ghall l informazzjoni tal pubbliku il police headquaters 3 mobile numbers ghandhom 2 minnhom personali tieghi .jekk jogbok icekkja sew qabel taghmel kummenti bhall dawk.
Lawrence Fenech
Jan 2nd 2010, 10:27
Good news for animal lovers and for our four legged friends.
Franco Farrugia
Jan 1st 2010, 17:54
What animal welfare NGOs need is someone to help them and protect them. What NGOs need is help and support and encouragement, something which they didn't get over the Animal Circus issue!
vaughan whitehead
Jan 1st 2010, 14:50
i have been visiting your islands twice yearly for the last 10 years. the advvance in animal welfare in this time is unbeleivable iknow the animal welfare organisations will carry on the good work lets just hope your government backs them to the hilt .A happy and peacefull new year to all my freinds out in malta and gozo
charles grech
Jan 1st 2010, 14:10
Mark I agree with you but forget any further help from the authorities. They did not even bother to waive off dues to let The Saint Francis Foundation for Animals commission two vehicles that were donated - in 2004 and 2007 - to be exclusively used as animal ambulances to rush sick, ijured and abandoned animals to veterinarians. The authorithies wants SFFA to fork out around EUR25,000 for registration fees. "The Good Causes Fund" decided that it was OK to fund the purchase of a a World War II howitzer and to pay all the expenses to bring singer Nathalie Gauci from Australia for the Malta Song Festival BUT to sponsor the dues in registration tax to commission two more vehicles to be used for animals who ended abandoned by so called humans NO. President's Abela inaugural speech filled every one with hope and courage as H.E. vowed to reinstate humane virtues in Malta and Gozo. I sincerely hope that Dr. Abela does not foget the animals, as he himself rescued and adopted a three legged cat he named BROMBOS. His animal loving aids, Marica and Darleen should guide H.E. in the right direction. ONLY TIME WILL TELL.
Mark Vella Bardon, Noah's Ark
Jan 1st 2010, 10:44
Government has made a great step forward with the setting up of the Animal Welfare Department so ably run by Dr. Mario Spiteri. We have backed him up fro the beginning and applaud his achievements.
However we hope that funds promised to sanctuaries will not be now "lost" to the department.
The Animal Welfare Department has helped us with "hand outs" on a few occasions but now that we are caring for the 92 extra dogs we hope that their maintenence will be subsidised by the government. This is essential because our funds are dramatically low and the future is bleak.
Meanwhile, the acute problem of abandoned dogs has to be addressed ASAP. What future can these dogs have at the present rate of abandonment! I propose a round table conference on this issue with all parties concerned, i.e. the government, the NGOs and the general public. Only then can a positive plan be outlined, for the sake of these animals as well as a common consensus to support the Animal Welfare Deparment.
May the Maltese publice who have been so gegnerous with the political parties, Strina etc at the end of the last decade kindly remember the sanctuaries.
Mark Vella Bardon, Noah's Ark
Jan 1st 2010, 10:27
The TImes is misinformed .... WE RAN THE AMBULANCE SERVICE ON 24/7 so there is NO "greater chance of being rescued".
Moreover Police HEadquarters have already called us this morning of hte 1st January 2010 in despair because the Animal Welfare Department phone does NOT ANSWER.
Noah's Ark ran the service for SEVEN monoths alhtough the government contracted us for six and provided half the money required. We undertook the service for the sake fo the dogs, IT HAD BEEN A LONG TIME COMING.!!!
We apreciate government thanks for running the "pilot project" of this service, however as I write we only know about this expression of gratitude from t oday's article in.your newspaper.
As for an agreement with NGOs to take in injured dogs, Noah's Aark have had no indication of this agreement. Also, we are now lumbered with 92 extra dogs and the sanctuary which was already at full capacity is now bursting at the seams. All other sanctuaries are in the same situation as far as we know.