Gozo SPCA cancels Flag Week as it mulls closure

Gozo SPCA said this evening that it will not be holding its annual fund-raising Flag Week this year amid uncertainty about its future.

"To date and after many years of negotiations with the Ministry for Gozo, no land has yet been officially earmarked as a site for the new premises which the society so desperately needs. If it is to continue caring for the abandoned animals of Gozo, it needs premises which will be compliant with the regulations applying to Animal Sanctuaries within the Animal Welfare Act, which Gozo SPCA understands will be enacted in the very near future," the society said.

It said it could not continue working from its current very small and inadequate premises in Victoria and a complete closure was one of the options under consideration, if the authorities concerned did not give a final answer soon.

Gozo SPCA Chairman Joseph Camilleri said the Society thanked the public for its loyal and generous support given to its fund raising Flag Week during past years. Last year over €10,000 was raised in Flag Week.

"The Society cannot justify collecting money during Flag Week, when there are no definite prospects of new premises in view."

For the time being Gozo SPCA is operating a limited service, caring for cats, kittens and injured or sick dogs from its Victoria premises.