Animal Welfare Department saves 50 dogs this month
Gentle giant... Godric Marston is part of the team at the Animal Welfare Department that has saved about 50 dogs since the beginning of the year.
Most people would think twice before sticking their hand inside a cage to pull out a neglected, starving dog for fear the scared animal would know no better than to attack.
But animal welfare officer Godric Marston has no qualms about climbing over fences to save injured animals and was even ready to abseil down a cliff to save an abandoned dog last summer.
"It's a great feeling to save a dog and see him look at you as though saying: thank you," Mr Marston says, as he pets a recently-rescued puppy wrapped in a blue blanket.
The small dog, which he calls "my baby", looks even tinier in the burly arms of Mr Marston who admits he exercises regularly to maintain his build. In fact, at first sight, the uniformed officer can seem intimidating - an image that immediately melts away when he starts playing with the animals he rescues.
A former black belt, having trained in martial arts, he now applies those disciplinary skills to the animal rescue missions.
"Animals are my best friends. I prefer them to some people," he laughs. "You know where you stand with animals. They are either friendly or show you their teeth upfront."
Mr Marston, 40, believes animals can distinguish between people who care for them and those who do not.
"When we were called to pick up some fox terriers from Birkirkara we were told they were ferocious. But when we opened the cage they jumped on us with joy. That's the beauty of the job," he says.
Mr Marston joined the Animal Welfare Department a year ago after spending many years working within various government ministries and four years in the police Special Assignment Group.
He now forms part of a team of eight animal welfare officers who man the animal ambulance service through which people can call the police headquarters to report injured or abandoned animals.
Since the department took over the ambulance service this month, about 50 dogs and some cats have been rescued.
The department also intervened to help ducks who lived in dirty water, an ill-treated cow, roosters found roaming the streets, a rabbit noticed hopping around freely and even a horse.
Rescued animals are taken to a vet, at Happy Paws, and then to the government farm at Għammieri from where they are homed with the help of animal sanctuaries.
Mr Marston himself has adopted two dogs, Kim and Butch, which his four-year-old son Sean adores. "He loves animals like I do," he smiles adding that his wife, Denise, is very supportive of his job although she tells him to be careful and keep himself out of dangerous situations.
Her concerns are not unfounded as, during the past year, he received his fair share of threats from angered people whose animals were confiscated due to neglect.
On two occasions, people tried to run him over with their car when they saw him use a dart gun and thought he was shooting the animals.
"But people seem to have learnt that the dart gun is only there to sedate animals so we can rescue them."
It is not the animals he worries about but the people he encounters, he says.
"I'm not scared of the animals and they realise that. So far, I haven't been bitten but it wouldn't be the end of the world if I were. If there is one thing I fear, it's an injection needle," he laughs.
"This really is the right job for me. I love being with animals."
He recalls the satisfaction of climbing over a fence to save a young dog that had got its head stuck between two bricks at the barracks in Għajn Tuffieħa. He also helped save a husky found abandoned down a Żurrieq cliff face and aptly named Cliff.
Mr Marston has a knack for improvising names for rescued animals and recently rescued Scar, a dog that had its neck scarred by a very tight rope.
His passion for the four-legged friends started with his very first childhood pet dog Bivi. There was no turning back. He has since always had a pet and developed a passion for pit bulls that are often used for illegal dog fighting.
"I urge anyone who sees a pit bull with fresh wounds to call the department. The dog fighting circle is very well organised and it is difficult for us to catch the perpetrators without help.
"The Animal Welfare Department is not just made up of us officers but all the population. If people out there do not call in, we will not be able to do our job and help these animals," he says.
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claire cp
Jul 19th 2011, 18:38
this must be one of the most rewarding jobs in the world. Thank god there are people like you !!! :)
Helen Gauci
Jun 15th 2010, 19:00
Can someone give me the 'animal's welfare' contact no. please? beacause I can't find it anywhere =s
Wilfrid Buttigieg
May 23rd 2011, 16:44
Animal Abuse:
25904113 or 25904132
Ambulance for injured strays: 21224001
visit: http://vafd.gov.mt/awps?1=1
Annette Lanzon
May 2nd 2010, 17:11
i gave my two adorable yorkshires to a family who swore they would love them as they are animal lovers and the way they talked i believed it. i learnt then that these people sold the dogs for an amount of money and again they were sold to a pet shop for an amount of money. this kind guy who own this pet shop was a decent man who contacted me after seeing the certificates and let me know what was going on. i feel sorry for him as he was conned for money. but being an honest man he gave me back my dogs without even asking for money, until he would help me find them a home. i signed a complaint about what happened and this is to be forwarded to animal welfare i just hope these people get what they deserve. I wish there were more people like the guy who owned a pet shop in tarxien and were not only looking to make money but are there for all animal welfare. Thank you Jimmy Polidano - ur the best God bless you and your friend.
claire cp
Jul 19th 2011, 18:34
some people are just greedy selfish *(@$$@'s with no soul. At least you got your babies back though so its a happy ending :)
charles grech
Jan 21st 2010, 20:41
Before I congratulate Dr. Mario Spiteri et al Times readers should be informed on the true homes where these animals have been homed. I very much fear that the only home these dogs found was in HEAVEN.
M. Galea
Jan 20th 2010, 14:26
It is so heartwarming to see that finally animals are being given the attention they deserve. And yes they do realise who want to hurt them and who wants to help them.
just watch the video to see the look in their eyes!
Well done Godric and team!
Jo Caruana
Jan 19th 2010, 15:35
The world needs more Godrics! Thank you so much for the valuable work you are doing.
Maryanne Cuomo
Jan 19th 2010, 13:58
Well done to the team of the Animal Welfare Department. They are very dedicated people.
Keep up the good work
W. Azzopardi
Jan 19th 2010, 11:45
The Animal Welfare Department is doing a great job in Malta. But in Gozo spca's small premises is full up.They take only wounded animals or the very young who can' care of themselves.
L. Agius
Jan 18th 2010, 21:42
Well done Mr Marston and the Animal Welfare Dept.!
T Aquilina
Jan 18th 2010, 21:41
Really admire the dedication of people like Mr Marston and the AWD whose services were sorely needed. Also wish to thank all the known and unknown volunteers who offer their time and resources to help reduce the suffering of these poor creatures. Keep it up and may all animal lovers remember to support these causes.
Franco Farrugia
Jan 18th 2010, 20:37
Well done to all those who look after animals, especally strays. These animals deserve our respect and our admiration, not our anger and eventual extermination.
Isola Agius
Jan 18th 2010, 16:33
Congratulations and many thanks to Mr. Marston and the Animal Welfare Dept.! Your kindness and courage give us faith and hope. Keep up the good work and good luck on bringing down the dog fighting rings!
Maria Vella
Jan 18th 2010, 16:04
I am an animal lover. Nothing gives me more pleasure than watching the instinctive behaviour of most animals, be it in zoo or, better still in their natural habitat. What has been annoying me for a long time is a young, scruffy man who roams around in Sliema collecting money to feed stray cats. I believe he does use most if not all the collected money for the poor animals. But I do not agree that he should be allowed to continue wit this practice. Rather than increasing the population of stray animals on the island I would rather these were to be given a permanent home. Encouraging the livlihood of stray animals is not loving them. It creates pollution, and tends to trun public away from our dear creatures. I would like the new mayor to take this matter alittle more seriously. A dirty Sliema is not what anyone deserves.
S Sammut
Jan 18th 2010, 14:41
Great! Well done! You are a kind man , and you surely have a place in heaven!
Lorna D'Anastasi
Jan 18th 2010, 14:33
Well done Godric, its so nice hearing that we have such loving officers in malta. Keep up the good job and may we have more people like you. Thanks on behalf of our four legged friends
Miriam Spiteri
Jan 18th 2010, 14:24
It's nice to hear that some people are trying to make a difference to these animals. Would appreciate if the contact numbers are published since I am trying to find them but to no avail. Thanks and keep it up!
R Vella
Jan 18th 2010, 13:42
A big well done to Mr.Godric Marston and all the team at the Animal Welfare Department. It's a breath of fresh air to read an article like this, know that people who REALLY care about animals are doing this job.
In order to get calls in from the Maltese population it would have been useful to list the Animal Welfare Department phone number...just a suggestion.
Roderick Cutajar
Jan 18th 2010, 13:40
Humans have God, the animals have Godric :)
Kurt Waschnig
Jan 18th 2010, 13:35
I wish you the best for your work and would like to express my gratitude for everything what you already have done for animals.
You saved them and probably lots of them got a new home. Animals are friends of us and we should take care of them and treat them properly.
Animals are often mistreated by human beings, abandoned, hurt and killed but there is hope because help is available, everyone can call the team of Animal Welfare Department and search for help to rescue dogs and other pets.
I appreaciate your work so much. Thank you. Best Kurt
Carmen Brincat
Jan 18th 2010, 12:56
Prosit!!! The creatures you save will surley always be greatful so will animal lovers like me. Thanks from the heart
P Bonello
Jan 18th 2010, 12:41
A very big well done to Mr Marsden and to all those people who work and help the Animal Welfare Department.
As noted down before, I do hope that there work is also reflected in the punishments handed down to those individuals who harm these poor creatures. I still have to hear about a punishment which is fairy handed down .. as yet only slaps on the wrist have been given!
On a separate note, what contact numbers/ email addresses may be used to contact the department and report abuse?
M Spiteri
Jan 18th 2010, 12:39
Definately this service has long been missing and this initiative goes a long way in ensuring animal welfare. However one suggestion. As a professional working in the medical emergency services, I feel that the livery of the new ambulance is almost identical to emergency ambulances used for human patients. This can prove to be a rather dangerous similarity. In my opinion, these vehicles should be clearly marked that they are ANIMAL AMBULANCES and not just AMBULANCES. This will help to prevent potentially difficult situations.
Otherwise, keep up the good work.
Shirley Ann Brincat
Jan 18th 2010, 12:27
Congratulations Mr Marston to you and your team and I wish you all the best of health for being such a kind person to animals. There are a lot of cold people out there and I do not know how they live with themselves for inflinging any kind of cruelty to an animal .... especially those mean people who organise dog fights.
n mifsud
Jan 18th 2010, 11:58
thanks for saving these poor creatures, welldone and keep up your good work.....
G. Caruana
Jan 18th 2010, 11:16
A job well done! Keep it up! :) *thumbs up*
GF Cortini
Jan 18th 2010, 11:05
Għalkemm ma nafekx, prosit
Peter Murray
Jan 18th 2010, 11:04
Dear Godric (great name and very apt)May your God guide and protect your kind and caring heart and all your colleagues at Animal Rescue performing such selfless and sterling work.a big Thank You on behalf of all people who care for all God's creatures is somehow inadequate but you are very much appreciated, and when you spell God backwards what do you get!
L Bezzina
Jan 18th 2010, 11:01
well done Mr Marston... you and your team are doing a great job!!