A longstanding dream of a place at Mater Dei Hospital for patients to spend some time with their pets has inched closer to becoming a reality.

The Reunited Pet Cabin, plans for which have been in the works for more than three years, will be placed in one of the hospital courtyards to allow patients to have visits with their pets in safety and comfort, as well as possibly hosting pet therapy sessions in future.

A planning application for the cabin, submitted by the hospital, has just been published by the Planning Authority after clearing screening. It must now be approved by the board, with a target date of April 29.

The project is the brainchild of Sarah Cachia, co-founder of the support group Survivors Malta.

The hospital believes in us and what we’re doing

She came up with the idea after her son Jacob who, while recovering in hospital from a life-threatening condition, asked to be reunited with his pet dog.

“Our family dog played a big part in Jacob’s recovery, but because there was nowhere for them to meet, we had to take him out into the street. I decided it couldn’t be that way,” Ms Cachia said.

With the hospital administration and the Health Ministry both offering enthusiastic support, she set to work getting permission from various authorities, as well as raising €13,000 to fund the project.

Working with the Junior Chamber International (JCI), she reached that target through crowdfunding and corporate sponsorships. Running costs will be mainly covered by Survivors Malta with the help of Jacob’s Brew, a coffee shop run by Ms Cachia and her son which donates some of its proceeds to NGOs.

There were to be a few further obstacles ahead, with architectural plans needing to be changed as part of the permitting process, but with the final hurdle now in sight, Ms Cachia is hopeful the cabin can be in place by the end of the year.

“The hospital believes in us and what we’re doing,” she said.

“I’ve had doctors, nurses and families asking about it. I know how much it means to people who are sick: a family pet is exactly that, part of the family.”