Animal aftercare centre inaugurated at Ta' Qali

Mark Vella BArdon (Noahs Ark)

Oct 4th 2010, 22:45

@Mario Spiteri:
And now to the "the solid support the NGOs are receiving" :
1. Gozo SPCA have long been begging for land to set up the centre that they have tirelessly raised substantial funds for in order to realise.
2. SPCA President thanked Minster George Pullicino publicly and live on TV during Strina December 2006 (when SPCA alone were allocated of that year's funds) for the land he "gave them" ... they are sitll without land, it must have been a mirage !!! They still work miracles operating from their Floriana hole.
3. AAA refuse to utilise the free neutering vouchers because of serious discrepancies they experienced with the service being provided them. Their report has yet to be investigated.
4. St. Francis Foundation have been begging for the waving of Registration Tax on vehicles donated to them, in the hope of using these vehicles to recover injured strays. Their pleas have been ignored for years and the vehicles are probably useless now anyway.
5. The Animal Rights Coalition have been struggling for a better fate for Karozzini horses with no visible tangible results.

Mark Vella Bardon (Noahs Ark)

Oct 4th 2010, 21:04

@Mario Spiteri
I don't wish to get into polemics in this blog and Mario SPiteri has not answered nor was he expected to asnwer my enquiry about why the Minister was quoted to state exaggerated facts.
His penchant of ous NGOs being given "gift horses" by the goverment must stop. Now that he mentions it in public it is becoming nauseating.
Also, just to put the record straight:
THE 20 TUMOLI OF GOVERNMENT LAND | "ADJACENT" TO THE SANCTUARY WERE IN ABANDONMENT AND ONLY BEING USED BY TRAPPERS AND HUNTERS !!! Valuable land indeed.
THE SANCTUARY PROPER HAS BEEN RENTED TO US SINCE 2004 BY THE LOCAL FARMER.
Any fencing, kennels etc given us are only a fraction of the total expenditure we have gone through over the years , thanks to numerous benefactors, setting up this sanctuary.
These expenses by government were a small percentage paid out of the 350.000 euros the goverment allotted to sanctuaries in 2008. The Minster had promised this to be an annual contribution to sanctuaries but nothing was forthcoming in 2009 and 2010.
Thank you for the invitation to Ghammieri Government Farm lately AKA Animal Welfare dog pound, but I am not your watchdog

M. Darmanin

Oct 4th 2010, 16:58

The centre is open 24/7 including public holidays, a vet is always available, and the centre is free for strays but not free for people who take their personal pets there - a nominal fee will be charged. It is directly opposite the sunday market in ta qali. Tel no is 22997904

mario Spiteri

Oct 4th 2010, 15:34

Handling dogs and cats and providing them with vouchers does not stop at that as any genuine animal lover would surely know! All that Dr. Mark Vella Bardon needs to do is pay a visit at Ghammieri Centre and check the records for himself any day he wants. I would have thought that the solid support the NGOs are receiving from the Animal Welfare Department would be a gift horse not worth looking in the mouth! It seems I am mistaken in the case of Mark Vella Bardon who runs - a sanctuary at Noah's Ark spanning over 20 tumoli of Government land with some of the infrastructure mainy fencing, kennels, CCTV etc..all paid for by Government.

Mark Vella Bardon (Noah's Ark)

Oct 4th 2010, 14:01

@ Dr. Mario Spiteri: Thanks for the accuracy ...
I quote from today's The TImes: "According the minister, about 2,000 animals were rescued by the animal ambulance since it was taken over by the Animal Welfare Department and over half of them were homed. "
Unless he was misquoted by the newspaper, it appears that the minister is either misinformed or else is trying to impress the public throught the vast media coverage at his disposal.
Aslo, just becuase you issue neutering vouchers it does not mean that you "handled" the animals!!!

K Galea

Oct 4th 2010, 13:22

animal welfare centre contact number; 22997904

wedny mamo

Oct 4th 2010, 09:34

about time eh!!! but never the less a VERY BIG WELL DONE!!! :)

Mario Spiteri

Oct 4th 2010, 09:26

The number of animals handled by the Animal Welfare Dept this year is indeed around 2000 - these include all dogs and cats picked up and/or neutered by us. When we last mentioned the figure of 800 during an activity held in August that amount simply referred to injured or sick dogs and cats picked up by the ambulance. When we started the second major neutering campaign after a tender was awarded to Blue Cross Clinic and this service was extended recently more than 1200 dogs and cats were neutered. Hence the total of animals handled by AWD truly amounted to around 2000 dogs and cats. From the 800 picked up by the ambulance around 300 were homed once they were provided with vet care and their injuries healed. Some 80 dogs and cats were passed on to AAA, SPCA, and Tomasina Sanctuaries. A large proportion of the rest succumbed to their injuries or illness or were put down by vets due to the serious nature of the injuries involved. At present we have around 160 dogs and cats at Ghammieri. We can invite anyone to visit us and check the records for themselves.

L Vella

Oct 4th 2010, 08:34

If i happen to find a stray/pet who was hit by a car or is sick in the street and needs care or was abandoned...would I be able to use the services of this hospital? Is it 24hr hospital...?

Carmel Garcia

Oct 4th 2010, 07:50

This new aftercare centre is to be opened 24hoers a day for the whole week or only during the day?

S. Degabriele

Oct 4th 2010, 07:18

Ok, so finally we have an aftercare centre. At least people who love their animals can have something else to turn to when their vets are not available. However, I wished that someone gave more information on the opening hours of the centre for the whole week, telephone numbers, address or some indications on how to arrive. I looked for information on the website of MRAE but there is no telephone and other info there. If someone knows about these basic details please post a comment. Not everyone knows Ta' Qali that much as those who visit the vegetable market.

At least they should post some sort of map on how to arrive and the basic details on the web site of MRAE. Can the Times do something on it?

Emanuel Magrin

Oct 4th 2010, 01:25

Today its the 4th October - The feast of Saint Francis of Assisi.
A HAPPY ST. FRANCIS DAY TO EVERYONE.

www.saintfrancisfoundation.com

J.Camilleri

Oct 3rd 2010, 23:32

About time !

N Brincat

Oct 3rd 2010, 22:27

A Good iniatiative & well done ....!!

Yet I cannot help but think that as it stands it seems that these animals are given a far better treatment than children with disabilities....in the sense that there is dire need of a decent premises, more professionals and better services that need to be given to children at the CDAU. The preimises given for the animals looks much better than the premises of the CDAU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When is somoene going to admit the fact that autism is on the increase in this country and that the children do not have a decent premises where they are given therapy and the right number of professionals to help them through it!!!!!!!!! Occupational therapist that are trained SPECIFICALLY to work with autistic children, and ABA therapists....are so badly needed !!!!!!!!!!! No to mention psychologists!!!!!!

Nadine Calleja

Oct 3rd 2010, 21:59

What great news! Being an owner of a number of animals (including horses) it is a joy to read about this new service, Thank you!!

V Caruana

Oct 3rd 2010, 21:45

What does "a nominal fee would be charged" mean? Does it mean that this centre is / will be subsidized ? hope that there won't be a waiting list like human aftercare centres!

Franco Farrugia

Oct 3rd 2010, 21:25

Congratulations for a job well done - Part I! An important step in the right direction.
Now, Part II: the proof of the pudding is in the eating. I sincerely augur that the centre will be a help to the most vulnerable of animals - the strays! Let us hope that the Centre will be administered in a correct manner, focussing mainly on stray animals and also open commercially so that it would find the necessary funds to put them on care of strays. Once again, congratulations. Onward, now!

Mark Vella Bardon (Noah's Ark)

Oct 3rd 2010, 20:48

Fantastic and another important milestone in animal welfare!
It should be made clear that all services, other than those to injured strays recovered by the AWD, will be against payment..
Having clarified this, even St; Francis is smiling, it is gratifying that at last we have such a centre available to benefit the emergency needs of the animals of Malta (& Gozo, helicopter service or whatever?) ... does this centre have a contact number?
Finally, has this put paid to the emergency veterinary Skytel number service that has been provided so far by the MVA

PS Please be truthful, Hon. Minister :
1st. Only about a month ago you announced that of 800 animals were rescued 250 were found a home ... today you say that 2000 were rescued and HALF homed !!! What are we to believe?
&
2nd. It is stated that sanctuaries will continue long-term housing.
Rubbish! The sansctuaries we know of are struggling financially and are already overcrowded. Hon. Minister, you did not keep your promise to provide sanctuaries with financial aid on an annual basis. Perhaps you can blame this on the Budget, Gonzi's Cabinet ... we have been waiting for an explanation.

A. Azzopardi

Oct 3rd 2010, 20:19

Proset lil kull min hadem fuq dan il-progett u li jhobb l'annimali inklus qtates, hamiem, fniek u criev (hajjin u mejtin...)

R.Borg

Oct 3rd 2010, 20:16

Thank you, Government.
Thank you, Minister Pullicino,
Thank you workers and volunteers.
Thank you, all animal lovers.
And thank you, policy makers, for putting aside the wrong philosophy of 'kollox b'xejn' and asking a nominal fee from those seeking this service.

T Aquilina

Oct 3rd 2010, 20:16

Excellent news! Any act of mercy towards the weak and defenceless is welcome news. Thank you, PM and Minister.

G. Bencini

Oct 3rd 2010, 19:32

Well done indeed especially to the Animal Welfare Department who are doing a sterling job rescuing and helping animals in need. However the Government also needs to address the problem of animal shelters who provide long-term care to abandoned animals. We all know that these shelters are full and are totally run by a handful of dedicated volunteers who invest time, energy and unconditional love to help these innocent creatures. Very often these shelters have to turn down abandoned animals because of lack of space and manpower leaving these poor creatures to a life of misery and neglect.
While hoping that this problem will be high on the authorities' agenda, may I also appeal to the general public to adopt shelter animals and to neuter/spay their pets. So many unwanted litters would be saved a cruel end.

Stefan Micallef

Oct 3rd 2010, 19:12

Your such an extremist get a life!The planting of thousands of trees all over the isalnd is nothing for you?
People like you are just jelios beacuse we hunters got almost all the countyside and it is private so we only let people walk in who arent annoying spies like you.
"One Question. Does>> Birdlife

Sheila Caruana

Oct 3rd 2010, 18:32

Well done George!

J Borg

Oct 3rd 2010, 18:12

A VERY BIG WELL DONE, AND THANK YOU IN THE NAME OF THE ANIMALS WHO HAVE NO VOICE.
One Question. Does FKNK have any shares in it? As 'conservatives' they should lend a helping hand. I presume that the only way they are going to 'help' is to provide the injured birds!

victor rodenas

Oct 3rd 2010, 17:47

Well done,the annimals needed a place like that.

D. Posey

Oct 3rd 2010, 17:30

Finally Thank God, it is open!! Been waiting for this for a long time. Wish the animal aftercare centre all the success it needs. Thank you to all those involved who made this thing happen. A step forward for the defenseless animals on this small island.

W. Azzopardi

Oct 3rd 2010, 17:01

But what about Gozo. Government is responsible for the welfare of animals in Gozo too. How many more years have to pass before spca will have a decent premises? Why should attention should be given only to amimals living on one part of the maltese islands?

Claire Busuttil

Oct 3rd 2010, 16:42

Haga Tajba hafna, prosit, Nispera li ikun immexxi sew.

Vincent Galea

Oct 3rd 2010, 16:10

How sweet is the longing of the heart.
May God bless you Hon George Pullicino.

S.Theuma

Oct 3rd 2010, 15:54

I've just come from visiting the center. Thank you to the Prime Minister, Dr. Pullicino and whoever made this possible. We finally have a 24/7 clinic.

James A. Tyrrell

Oct 3rd 2010, 15:36

Yes indeed, well done to all, especially Lawrence and George for the photo opportunity! Are they now finally starting to care about stray animals to the point where they may sort out the Gozo SPCA with decent premises from which to operate?

c. camilleri

Oct 3rd 2010, 15:27

Prosit George tiehdu hsieb kulhadd inthom.

Ramona Mifsud

Oct 3rd 2010, 15:06

A dream come true. Well done to all.

joe falzon

Oct 3rd 2010, 14:30

about time we did something practical for animals and not just talk about it! let's focus on the strays, they are the abandoned ones and the ones most likely to get hurt

Maryanne Cuomo

Oct 3rd 2010, 14:17

Prosit Hon. George Pillicino.

S.Sammut

Oct 3rd 2010, 14:06

Very well done, on behalf of all stray animals. Let's hope it will function well and that 10 years from now we can look back and say that it was a good step in the right direction.

s aquilina

Oct 3rd 2010, 13:57

Thank you George.

Alfred Briffa

Oct 3rd 2010, 13:49

Sa fl-ahhar sehhet holma ohra ghal kura tal-annimali. Prosit George. Issa nista mmut!!