Guide dog’s funds deal on hold as Grand Master delays Malta visit

Funds for the Malta Guide Dog Foundation have had to be put on hold after the Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta in Rome postponed his state visit next week due to health reasons.

“Unfortunately, because of an unexpected illness that keeps the Grand Master of the Order of Malta off travelling, the state visit had to be postponed,” a spokesman for the Order said when contacted.

It was planned that Grand Master Fra Matthew Festing would give his seal of approval for an agreement that would see the foundation come closer to reaching its target of 45 dogs within a reasonable period of time.

“In the meantime, we will keep working on this agreement, which, I hope, we will be able to sign on the occasion of the Grand Master’s state visit,” the Order in Rome said.

The Grand Master was invited to visit Malta by President George Abela, SMOM said.

Although the sum of money planned to be given to the foundation remained undisclosed, sources said this amounted to about €500,000 over five years.

Without the money, the foundation, which empowers the blind to live in society independently, will continue its upward struggle to make ends meet. With each dog costing about €12,000 it is not difficult to understand why.

“If it is postponed for a few months no damage will be done but as things stand we’re desperate,” foundation chairman Ron Colombo said.

The dogs were especially important because the blind easily found themselves below the poverty line when their condition stripped them of their independence, Mr Colombo said.

There are eight trained guide dogs in service in Malta and a further four should arrive this year. However, this is a far cry from the estimated 45 to 50 dogs needed to serve the 730 individuals who form the blind community.

The agreement with the Knights had long been in the pipeline as the signing during the state visit by the Grand Master was recurrently postponed for several reasons, the sources said.