Gozo SPCA curtails activities as talks with government lead nowhere

jackie laferla

Feb 23rd 2010, 13:25

PLEASE DO SOMETHING URGENTLY ABOUT THIS UNACCEPTABLE SITUATION. AT LEAST IN MALTA ANIMAL WELFARE IS DOING ITS BIT AND TAKING RESPONSABILITY FOR ANIMALS IN DISTRESS. THIS IS THE RESPONSABILITY OF THE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS IN GOZO WHO SEEM TO BE DEAF, MUTE AND BLIND. WHY DO PEOPLE LIKE BETTY BERRY AND OTHER CARING INDIVIDUALS TAKE RESPONSABILITY FOR ANIMALS IN DISTRESS IN GOZO? NOW WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE HELPLESS ANIMALS WHO ARE CONSTANTLY ABANDONED AND ABUSED IN GOZO? HELLO .....!! WE ARE URGING THIS GOVT TO DO ACT FAST OR THIS SITUATION WILL ESCALATE AND GET OUT OF HAND. ANIMAL WELFARISTS LIKE MYSELF AND MANY MANY OTHERS WILL NOT RESIGN TO THIS SITUATION. SADLY DISAPPOINTING - PLEASE COME TO AN ARRANGEMENT AND GIVE SOME LAND TO OUR FELLOW CREATURES DOGGIES, PUSSIES AND ANY OTHER ANIMAL NEEDING REFUGE FROM A SUFFERING EXISTENCE.

Ann Corkett

Feb 19th 2010, 08:47

I am sad that Betty Berry felt it necessary to resign, but "the show must go on".
However, I do not understand the governments attitude towards the supply of new accommodation for the SPCA.
It seems that the government have got everything to lose by delaying the new premises.
The SPCA must be unique in the amount of revenue they raise. It is certainly in the government's interest to keep them doing that. What major charity doesn't need masses of government aid for day to day running especially when undertaking government work and responsibility namely the management of strays.
They have got enough capital to refit their own premises.
They keep stray dogs and cats off the streets and undertake the neutering and euthanasia of sick animals.
With new premises they will all gain a new lease of life and start collecting dogs and money with even more gusto.

I am not a member of the SPCA but I was a headteacher of a school in London and have dealt with local government blindness, but even they should see this gift horse being handed to them on a plate.

Claire Busuttil

Feb 18th 2010, 16:35

Jista xi hadd mil awtoritajiet jatuna ftit risposta u stampa cara ta x ser isir min naha taghhom!?!!!!!!!!!

david agius

Feb 18th 2010, 13:23

To the queen of gozo and the prime minister.Hear these voices of animal lovers and manyothers.and heed their call asap,because day of election will come,and we will respond.

H. Owen

Feb 17th 2010, 21:46

In our opinion as decent and TRUE animal lovers, Mrs.Betty Berry deserves an apology from the gozo minister for all the abuse she endured over the past few months from various individuals plus being beaten up by some moron in the process. We respect Betty as she deserves a lot better then this treatment she is and has been receiving for the past months, now she has resigned we shall miss her verymuch, god help these animals as i cannot honestly see any locals lifting a finger to help them let alone see a Gozitan opening his or her wallet .
as for us we are off like a bunch of good'uns back home. and will not recommend Gozo to anyone thats how disgusted we are. Cheers.

Ron J.Hawkes* UK

Feb 17th 2010, 21:32

As an EX-resident Guest on Gozo i am totally disgusted with the whole situation on the island of Gozo, the so called ministers and the whole clan, to act so uncaring and irresponsibly towards the well being of these abondoned creatures, someone mentioned below regarding the advertising the Malta tourist board spend every year on brouchures and what not plastered all over Britian, Germany, Italy and Holland & many others regarding the friendly christian& caring people of Gozo..But my question is caring for whom and what, please don't answer all at once the only thing these people care about is how much money the can make out of us foreigners and secondly the only other think they care about is their immediate families and non other., so no Lesly i don't blame dear Betty and the hard work she and her colleagues have put in over the years, and as we say its all gone to the dogs.and the ministers are left out in the cold, i say good serves them right, as i and many others past and present residing on Gozo have no time for these people anymore, its has lasted long enough and enough is enough. GoodBye.

lesley kreupl

Feb 17th 2010, 20:36

It was with much sadness, and a lot of anger, that I read the above article.
No, I do not blame Betty for resigning, it is a wonder that she has managed to put up with all the abuse hurled at her and the SPCA by the government and some local people, for so long.

I find it utterly disgusting that the Government, and more specifically the Ministry for Gozo, has turned a blind eye to the needs of the SPCA and the thousands of maltreated and abused animals they have taken care of in the past. It is appalling that in a so-called 'Christian' country animals are treated and abused so badly and that nobody in authority cares!

I realize that the majority of people who have animals do take good care of them, however, when one reads and experiences the dreadful things that some human (?) monsters do to animals on this little island, it makes ones skin crawl.

It is about time that someone in the Ministry pulled finger and found new premises for the SPCA to rent. Poor show queenie, you should be ashamed of yourself and don't deserve to rule this island!

Claire Busuttil

Feb 17th 2010, 19:32

Shame on the government!! this is a very serious situation, I hope that animal lovers in this country take this into account when voting!!
Where is the minister for Gozo???? or she is only busy to 'help' her voters??

Alison Natalie Keeler

Feb 17th 2010, 19:12

After all the SPCA's continuous hard work, come rain or shine, shouldn't the Ministry for Gozo give immediate attention to this? As someone wise once said, "You can tell a lot about a society by the way they treat their elders... their children... and their animals".

adrian aquilina

Feb 17th 2010, 17:40

shame on this government.shame for not caring and shame for contrubuting to the stray problem and doing nothiung to improve it..the s.p.c.a. should be funded,well equiped with a decent sanctuary so we can humanely do something about the poor strays and help save them from the ignorant people who see nothing wrong with abusing and killing them..the problem with animal welfare is it doesnt stop all abuse etc the only way to stop everything is animal rights.....

W. Azzopardi

Feb 17th 2010, 17:35

I assure government that animals have votes

Joseph Calleja

Feb 17th 2010, 17:10

The Queen of Gozo? I hope she is reading all these comments and run immediately to Mrs Betty Berry and give her some assurance that something positive will be done soon, and I don't mean just promises or hot air. Even though these innocent animals have NO VOTE to give, they deserve a home. Mrs Berry and the other volunteers put in a lot of their time to tend to these neglected animals, and I don't blame them for feeling let down. I hope the authorities, whoever they maybe go to the rescue of the Gozo SPCA, they need all the help they can get. Your Majesty this is your time to shine.

Jon Shaw

Feb 17th 2010, 17:03

All because Dogs Don't Vote....

A Catania

Feb 17th 2010, 17:00

What about the Animal Welfare Dept.....are they going to intervene in this case to try to come up with a solution ASAP??? SPCA Gozo are doing a splendid job - a trip to the crammed premises in Rabat will show that animals there are well cared for and loved, albeit the space constraints. Let us hope that the media continues to follow up this case closely and would NOT let it rest until a solution is fund. Unfortunately we have read of many unfortunate cases of animal cruelty in Gozo these past years (ok ok we also had our fair share in Malta too!) so please do not let things go rampant again.

T Aquilina

Feb 17th 2010, 16:14

Why we keep discouraging people who are doing something worthwhile is a mystery so beyond me. These selfless individuals are actually doing something for nothing this is the thanks they get it seems. Not to mention the fact that these unfortunate animals did not get any consideration. What a shame.

Jon Vercellono

Feb 17th 2010, 15:21

www.timesofmalta.com/.../victoria-council-denies-spca-gozo-claims

www.timesofmalta.com/.../spca-slams-removal-of-cat-shelters-in-gozo

I suggest everyone re-read these articles (and comments).

Harold Fischer

Feb 17th 2010, 15:06

Hello D Wenger i understand your feelings towards the uncaring situation in Gozo, as usual is all to do with their local outdated bureaucracy, its the usual story with these people its always manana or to-morrow but alas to-morrow never comes, i can actually quite understand Betty's feeling and all the hard work she has put into looking and managing the Gozo SPCA, but like anything else bad tidings always comes to a head and as we read this is the final countdown for Mrs.Berry., now i guess the authorities are now left in the cold, a big shame i hope the local minister will to-day learn a hard lesson as if it wasen't for many local foreign residents there will be hundreds of abondoned animals roaming the streets of Gozo and malta scavenging for food and causing havoc to the most untidy way of disposing refuse in plastic bags... and they call this PROGRESS! think again. so just like Mr.Wenger we too are contemplating selling up and move out. We love Gozo and the people of Gozo but we only live once and are long time dead. don't put off to-day cause to-morrow might be too late!

Jon Vercellono

Feb 17th 2010, 14:56

And other NGO's should intervene as well as an allied front. Remember and don't forget the Victoria Local Council's actions a couple of months ago as well; and peoples' comments at that time ----

F Spiteri

Feb 17th 2010, 14:52

Shame on the ministry involved ! It is a real shame that here in Malta & Gozo when it comes to animals no real importance is given. Maybe - as usual - closer to election the SPCA should try and ask again. You'd be surprised what you can get if you promise your vote !

W. Azzopardi

Feb 17th 2010, 14:48

The Prime Minister and the Bishop of Gozo should intervene.

W. Azzopardi

Feb 17th 2010, 14:30

Il-partit laburista kien ta bicca raba kbira biex issir ir-race track taz-zwiemil. Naturalment ghal gost tal-bnedmin. Allura ghall annimali m,ahniex kapaci insibu bicca art.

W Spencer

Feb 17th 2010, 14:29

Absolutely amazing !!! Unwanted and unecessary apartments, flats, houses, etc, etc, continue to be constructed every day in Gozo..............yet the Government will not provide land so that Gozo SPCA can construct a larger, modern premises. It is not even a case of finance, as Gozo SPCA already have the necessary funds to build new premises.

D Wenger

Feb 17th 2010, 14:25

We are really sorry to hear about Betty Berry resignation from the much needed care for the abondoned animals in Gozo, we are really not surprised at the lack of understanding and don't care attitude of the ministers in Gozo and Malta. I can't really see a local taken over as things have gone from bad to worse on the island and now there is nobody more qualified and caring then Messrs.Betty Berry, this type of caliber is very hard to find in Gozo and Malta - Its OK to say and print in your holdiay brochures plastered all over our London buses, Come to Gozo and meet the friendly people, but when i read about this sort of attitude towards their the mass abondoned animals , i don't think the ad. is worth the paper is printed on anymore, sorry folks Gozo is a lovly island but as far as the interior affairs namly the above article is way out of order, so i guess its time for us to say goodbye to Gozo, till such time when the local authoirities wake up to reality. Adios Amigos or is it Sahha!

david agius

Feb 17th 2010, 14:09

There is a piece of land for everybody,it seems.for playing bocci, for playing football,for racing horses,playing fields ,parks ,for children and families,etc etc.All for humans. Nothing for animals.When will this suppossidely god loving.christian government understand that this planet belongs to animals as much as it belongs to humans.If society is driving them out of their natural habitant, through construction and our greed to inhabit every piece of land there is,at least we owe them a piece of land, where they can be gathered to be cared for by the few decent people left in this world, like mrs. berry and her staff. So if the prime minister has any christian values in him , he should give mrs berry her piece of land.which by right through god's creation is the property of animals ,as much as it is to humans.When the setlers in America took over the land of the indians,at least they gave them reservations to live in. we took over the land from the animals.What have we given them.Nothing. Shame Shame Shame.

Franco Farrugia

Feb 17th 2010, 13:52

This is a very sad day for the animals and animal-lovers in Gozo.

M. Vella

Feb 17th 2010, 13:32

How sad and upsetting.

All that hard work going to waste. What will happen to stray and unwanted dogs and cats in Gozo?

They are entitled to welfare support even though they don't have vocal cords and perhaps more importantly to the people in power, votes.

This is sickening!

laurence schembri

Feb 17th 2010, 13:27

Very very sad, Dear Mrs Berry, it is like always is....talk, talk, talk and nothing ever come out of it, just hot air! George Pullicino has been promising a hospital for animals for the past 20 years, I actually remember him with a full head of jet black hair when he come gave us the first promise...and so far...nothing.

Jon Vercellono

Feb 17th 2010, 13:12

With tales like these is there actually a "Minister" for Gozo?

John Debattista

Feb 17th 2010, 12:36

@ Joe Cassar
Don't Forget we have a King in Malta besides the Queen of Gozo according to the Prime's Brother..............................................

S Keyes

Feb 17th 2010, 12:20

Another sad tale of people volunteering their time and effort and not being supported by the government!

Joe Cassar

Feb 17th 2010, 12:12

Perhaps Mrs Berry neglected to make sure that the Queen of Gozo was involved. Nothing happens without her say-so.