An animal aftercare centre planned to have been up and running in the first half of this year has been delayed by a few months after the government decided to add more services to the facility.
Situated at a site known as Ta’ Ġakbu in Ta’ Qali, the €300,000 project will be geared to take in injured strays and pets and provide them with the necessary care and rehabilitation.
However, with more services and facilities being added following discussions with welfare organisations, its opening has been pushed back to October.
The new services include part of the centre being allocated to the guide dogs association, which currently lacks the necessary facilities to train these dogs, a government spokesman said.
The centre has also been extended to include stables to provide for the care and rehabilitation of horses.
Unsatisfactory tender bids for the laying out of the turf on the roof also contributed to the delay when another call had to be issued.
However, the spokesman said works were at an advanced stage and the centre should be inaugurated in about three months’ time.
The centre is the first of its kind and will complement the animal ambulance service run by the Animal Welfare Department. Injured strays can be picked up, taken to Ta’ Qali and treated by the vets on site, at the government’s expense. A nominal fee will be charged for care provided to pets, and the money will go towards covering part of the centre’s running costs.
The centre will not subsist entirely on fees charged to animal owners but will be partially funded by the government.
It also features an isolation room for contagious cases, an exotic animal ward, kennels and a dedicated area to process waste produced by the animals.
Its architecture is also the first of its kind and it is designed to blend into the surrounding landscape.
Insulation is also being installed to muffle the sounds inside and protect the centre from extreme temperatures.
The project is expected to be the answer to the prayers of animal welfare organisations, whose resources have been stretched to the limit as the number of mistreated and abandoned animals continues to rise.
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