SPCA overwhelmed, by kittens

David Schembri

Jul 31st 2010, 14:04

Let us all think about this ...
I 100% agree with you all saying that one would do a good deed by adopting a stray or a cross breed. But picture this: if one wants to buy and can actually afford an Aston Martin Vanquish, (to name one particularly beautiful and expensive car) why would one have to buy a 1974 Mini Minor? (don't get me wrong, I'm not saying anything against Minis coz I had 5 and still love them)
I think it's the same thing with pedigree dogs. I, for one, like Rottweilers and Bull Mastiffs, why should I go get a cross breed poodle or something similar? Again, not saying anything against cross breeds, but if I like the looks of a certain dog, why should I go get something I don't like if I can get to choose? I don't think there's anything wrong in preferring one breed to another!

Lawrence Magrin

Jul 29th 2010, 12:22

At this point I would like also to congratulate Happy Paws for their sterling work and service they offer to help animals.

Happy Paws neuter on a regular basis, dogs and cats in santuaries and offer a medical back up service to who ever adopt and animal from these sanctuaries free of charge for two years. Thanks to this scheme 60 dogs have already been homed.

All emergencies taken to Happy Paws clinic between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. are also free of charge. There is a special service also to guide dogs for the blind.

I have experienced this excellent service and appeal to animal lovers to continue making use of thies excellent service and encourage one and all to support the Happy Paws admin staff and their wonderful volunteers who go out of there way to give a better life to animals in distress.

Lawrence Magrin

Jul 29th 2010, 09:27

It is absolutly shoking when one thinks that the stray cat and dog population has escalated most especially when the number of ngo's trying to control the very stresfull situation has also inreased by 50 percent. Up to 25 years ago only the SPCA were trying to control the stray dog and cat population but now many ngo's are working day in and day out to solve the sad problem.

It is very clear that the problem escalated since the importation of pure breeds came into fashion. This to the detriment of cross breeds. Not only that but even pure breeds have had their misfortunes as some people only get them as a novelty without being prepared to look afterthem. Visit dog and cat sancturaries an you will confirm what I am saying. Selling of animals in petshops and elsewhere must be controlled as people are only interested how to make a quick buck.

Only two weeks ago some friends of mine rescued a pug, that was dumped out in the streets in this very hot weather. It is definately a must that all dogs and cats must be microchipped after they have been neutered.

R. Abela

Jul 28th 2010, 14:04

Tista tghid ezatt x'ghandek kontra il breeders ghaziez Franco Farrugia li dejjem thambaq kontra min jibbridja? Jekk qed titfa il Breeders kollha f'keffa wahda qed taghmel hazin, nahseb ahjar tghid li dawk li vera qed jaghmlu il flus mill breeding jaffordjaw jhallsu ghal airtime fuq it televixion u riklami bil flus li jdahhlu. L-ewwel ara kemm qed jibieghu l-annimali mil l breeders umbaghad jekk int kapaci thallatx min jbieh ferh jew geru ghal 200 ewro ma dawk li jbieghu xi 1000 ewro - dawk tal ahhar zgur jaghnlu il flus ghax kummercjali biss mela min hu dilettant.. It tieni jekk il griewei u il frieh jissewwew ma tibqax dil problema kbira u tibqax twahhal fil breeders ghax dawk li hemm SPCA zgur mhux il breeders tefawhom hemm.

Erik DeBattista

Jul 28th 2010, 12:58

I also urge you to go an check these kittens out.

They are really adorable. I have personally adopted one last year and he's a great cat and part of the family. Don't be fixated by pedigree. If these cats are well fed and threated they will turn out into truly beatiful animals.

david debattista

Jul 28th 2010, 10:25

What they do over here is they get cats, dogs, rabbits and other pets on a special TV program so the public can see the pet from home. If they want a particular dog or cat they phone and that ,s it . It is a good idea because if you want a dog for example, you must know that you are the right person for that breed. I have two cats and a large dog. I love my dog but during the winter months there is nothing better then a cat by your side and a good book.
As for dogs they keep you fit The one I have is bigger than me, but the cat is the boss. Get a cat you will not regret it especially if you are advanced in age or need to take life a little easy.
They lower your blood pressure that is a fact, and you pay no Tax .................I hope!

g.c.Forte

Jul 28th 2010, 08:32

Jien niehu hsieb madwar 12 qtates tat triq (min barra li ghandi gewwa ). Ukoll kelli problema ghax tlieta minnhom kellhom il frieh. Bil ghajnuna ta xi girien, ghamilna " face book " ghal min irrid jaddotta, sibtilhom " Home " qabel iz zmien. ( hlief wahda, ghax difettuza , allura zammejta jien ) kelli hafna ghajnuna mil VET tieghi, ghax stajt insewwi lil ommijiet b` donation zghira. Il punt tieghi huwa..........li l-awtorita u fuq kollox il KUNSILLI ( mhux qabda weghdi u imbaghad huma stess jibatulek il warden ) ghandhom jikkoperaw u jghejnu li dawk l-individwi li volontarjament u b`dedikazzjoni qeghdin jiehdu hsieb lil l- animali ta barra. FUQ KOLLOX DAN HUWA DRITT ta l-animali li ahna kull tant bl` egoizmu taghna ninsew. Qeghed insemmi lil dawn in nies ghax il problema min hemm tibda. Ghalhekk, jekk ikun hemm ghajnuna mil bidu, innaqsu hafna mil problema. Napella......tixtrux animali, annimal bil pedigree,jew ghax bil flus, ma iffisix li ser ihobbok aktar. Naf x` qeghed nejd.

marika mifsud

Jul 28th 2010, 07:56

Vets make alot of money by people taking their pets for treatment and paying whatever is asked.
I think they should offer their services free of charge for neutering .and treating strays. We found two kittens under a car near our house. We tried to feed them and monitored the situation for two days but no cat came for them . So we took them to a vet for a check up. They both had cat flu and were prescribed antiboitics which we bought. However, we also had to pay the vet's fee.
I think in these sort of situations they could waive their fee.
I also think that cats kept as pets and not able to meet other cats are MUCH happier after being neutered.

F Spiteri

Jul 27th 2010, 21:10

Yanov - you are one of the few kind hearted people who actually kept the kittens. A lot of people would just throw them out. Due to the happy ending of this story i cannot but agree with you. But - you are one in a million. Well done

Fleur Spiteri

Jul 27th 2010, 21:00

Mr Scicluna - when i adopted a little kittie from the SPCA i was told that if i wanted to leave a donation it would be very much appreciated. I left EUR 30 because of all the good work they do there. At the time I was told that if i would neuter the kitten - a female - i could get my donation back. I did get my kitten neutered privately but till today still hold my receipt and will never go for a refund. The people at the spca really love and take care of the animals they take in and i feel sorry to read that at this stage they can take no more. Due to the complete ignorance of the maltese population alot of animals are just thrown out into the streets and if it were not up to these kind people and others at different sanctuaries they would just die ! So have a heart, adopt the kittens and get them neutered. You will not be hurting their pride !

Maria Borg

Jul 27th 2010, 20:55

Come on everyone, it is the cats who are sufferring after all. The fact that 80 cats have been saved is a good deed. All sanctuaries do their part and now it is our turn.

Yanov Cutajar

Jul 27th 2010, 20:43

I'm with Joseph Scicluna on this one.

I myself bought a stray unneutered kitten from a pet shop, (call me stupid for actually buying a cat which you can get for free, but she was too cheap and cute to leave her there. So I don't care.) I thought about neutering her, but was too late to do so which resulted in us having 3 beautiful kittens with the most amazing characters a cat owner could ask for. I then neutered all 4 cats since they were more than enough to bring our garden/yard alive... I look back and think to myself, "had I neutered the first kitten I got in the first place, I would never have these amazing cats". So I'm glad I never neutered my cat straight away.

Josephine Bugeja

Jul 27th 2010, 20:24

Perhaps some expert can enlighten me as to why some dogs have a pedigree and some don't. I suspect this pedigree is an invention of breeders out to make a buck. A kind of animal racism on the model of that practrised on humans. It is a scientifically proven fact that all dogs are descended from common ancestors, namely, wolves. A recent study has finally confirmed that all dogs are descended from wolves that lived in the Middle East. Researchers looked at the genetic code from more than 900 dogs from 85 breeds, and compared that with the DNA of 200 wild gray wolves, including wolves from North America, Europe, the Middle East and East Asia. In total, they analyzed more than 48,000 genetic markers.

So how did the aristocracy of dogs come about? Isn't it as stupid as the aristocracy in humans who also have identical DNA?

Maria Cassar

Jul 27th 2010, 19:35

Visit the SPCA and adopt one of these lovely animals. But before adopting, make sure you will care for them and give them all your love. Just a few months ago we adopted a dog from SPCA instead of buying one with the pedigree. Now this dog, whose name is Luciano, is so happy and he returns our love 10 times as much. We take him for walks and also for a swim so we keep him healthy. He learned so much and never gave us any trouble. Do not abandon dogs.

M. Attard

Jul 27th 2010, 18:01

Dear Mr Scicluna.

Can you please illuminate us exactly as to why you do not want these poor male kittens to be neutered? What do you tyhink you will gain from not neutering them? Is it your testosterone at work here? An animal goes by instinct not by common sense. It seems that people like you are the worst kind of irresponsible pet owners possible. Luckily the SPCA did not give these poor kittens to your care because you refused to have them neutered!

Joseph Scicluna

Jul 27th 2010, 17:34

I am not questioning the charge by the SPCA to have the two kittens (male) neutered but my point is that I do not want them neutered at this time. So I appeal to the SPCA to think again if they want animal lovers to adopt their kittens. I hope that someone from SPCA will come up with a better solution.

Malta Cat Club

Jul 27th 2010, 17:08

Neuter / Spay of kittens is very important to control the stray cat population. If owners are irresponsible and do not neuter a male or spay a female kitten, these will multiply when grown and produce more and more stray kittens! Even responsible pedigree cat breeders are now requesting pet kittens to be neutered /spayed to cut down the unwanted pets syndrome. Our club gets many calls from people whose cat has had unwanted kittens and want to - quote 'get rid of them' . If you love your pets - get them neutered or spayed. It keeps them healthier, stops them wandering off or getting into fights and you will help reduce the problem of stray cats which end up at SPCA or other sanctuaries simply because uncaring owners let these offspring be born without finding a home for them. Yes, ' Refused to have them neutered' ??? is the typical Maltese mentality. Happypaws Clinic at Marsa offers Free neuter / spay ops to feeders of cat colonies who are members and also reduced fees for operations on 'private pets' So there is certainly no excuse regarding the expense.

m.farrugia

Jul 27th 2010, 17:07

The services at Happy paws are far more better than those offered by anyother groups. I have visited the clinic some time ago and was very impressed with the service. The pity is that SPCA is preferred by the Governmetn more than any other animal welfare grojup.

Solane Abela

Jul 27th 2010, 16:43

Why are people asked to have cats or kittens neutered if one wants to adopt from the SPCA? I was led to believe that all cats & kittens are litter trained and neutered or am i wrong? Anyway i think that it should be left up to those who are adopting to leave some form of donation without being asked to do so or asked to have them neutered. One can always take him to a vet of one's choice if he/she feels that its too much! There are a few vets who dont charge much and do a very brilliant job and who are genuine animal lovers and are interested in the animal's wellbeing!

Joseph Scicluna

Jul 27th 2010, 16:07

Some two weeks ago I went to the SPCA at Floriana to adopt two kittens because we lost the one we had for five years. I was asked to pay 80 Euros so that they can be neutered.As I refused to have them neutered I was not allowed to adopt them.

Franco Farrugia

Jul 27th 2010, 16:05

I, too, plead, together with SPCA, for people who are thinking of adopting a pet, to be wise and forget about buying a pedigree. By adopting a kitten from SPCA and elsewhere, you will be doing a ton of good! You will be giving a better life to the kitten itself; you will be easing somewhat the burden that SPCA are finding themselves in, and a place will be made vacant for another animal to be accepted by SPCA. Please, think before you act. I adopted two kittens from outside, and today, eleven years later, I am the happier person thanks to the two kitten I adopted from the streets.