A regular morning jog turned into an animal rescue mission for a man who jumped into a skip to save a dog that had been sealed in a garbage bag and dumped. The boxer, however, died later.
The four-year old female boxer gasped for air and started foaming at the mouth as Dione Galea rescued it from the very bottom of the skip where it had been buried under a mound of other garbage bags.
But despite efforts by the staff at St Franġisk Animal Hospital at Ta’ Qali to revive the dog, she died last night. The death was confirmed by Janice Chetcuti from the Animal Welfare Directorate.
Earlier, Mr Galea recounted: “I had almost arrived home in Kalkara following my morning exercise when I heard noises from a skip... When I looked, the skip was spilling over with rubbish but a woman standing nearby said she thought she was hearing a dog.
“I started removing the garbage bags. As I got closer to the bottom I had to jump inside it. Then I saw a bag move. I tore it open and could not believe there was a dog inside.”
The boxer was weak and barely moving. When Mr Galea opened the garbage bag she gasped for air and started foaming at the mouth.
He called the Animal Rescue Department and officers soon arrived on the scene.
Ms Chetcuti said the dog was extremely dehydrated after being rescued and had a fever. She was christened Gaia but did not live long to enjoy that name.
The police have been informed about the case and are investigating.
The Rural Affairs Ministry condemned the action and said such incidents could be avoided with the introduction of compulsory micro chipping as from next year.
There have been a number of animal cruelty cases in the past few months. In June, Star, a mixed-breed dog, succumbed to her injuries after being shot in the head, tied up and buried alive in a field in Birżebbuġa.
Not long after that, three dead Pharaoh hounds were found floating off Marsalforn tied together.
In July a 16-year-old boy ended up in court and admitted to drowning a Labrador at the Marsaxlokk Waterpolo Pitch.
Anyone who has information about the boxer’s case can call the department on 2590 4224.