From Ms G. Arrabito

On Wednesday 1 March at 12:25pm, a car in Balzan ran over a dog. The driver with a complete lack of concern kept on going. A passer-by stopped and together with some workers picked up the poor dog and laid him on the centre strip.

They called the police and Alfred Fenech. The dog just lay there looking at us for help so we put it in our car and took it to the nearest veterinary clinic, which unfortunately was closed. An emergency number, 5004 3888, was stuck to the door. We tried to call with no success. You cannot call this number from a mobile. We rushed back home. I called from a fixed line and someone answered saying this was MVA. She asked me for my name, surname, telephone and mobile numbers and informed me that the phone call cost Lm 2 and that the vet’s initial fee was Lm10 and could go up. I accepted and was told that the vet would call me back. The vet didn’t. I called again (another Lm2). They told me they had paged the vet and that I should wait. Wait? Wait for what? I told them that this was an emergency and that I could not wait. And in the meantime the dog laid there looking at me. Just then Alfred Fenech arrived. He took the dog and went in search of a vet.

The vet from MVA never called. Outrageous. After nearly four hours had gone by, I called again (another Lm2)and asked to speak to the supervisor but they just kept me waiting with no explanation offered. I called from another phone (another Lm2) while my friend manned the first phone. No answer from the first phone but finally the supervisor answered the second phone, apologised for what happened and promised to call me back with some answers. Until today, nobody has called. I did not call back because I do not feel like giving them another Lm2. For what? For an emergency service that does not exist?

What puzzles me is, how did Alfred Fenech make it to Balzan in approximately 20 minutes and a vet from an organisation like MVA, which is charging all that money, didn’t? I wonder what profit they are making from these Lm2 phone calls. I feel that this ‘easy profit game’ should be investigated by the Authorities (Oh, please wake up) and the minimum that I expect is that the money made for no service given be donated to someone like Alfred Fenech or a dog sanctuary.

Unfortunately, I got to know later that the dog died because he wasn’t treated immediately. He died because a number of people involved in this story were irresponsible. Apologies will not bring back the dog.

I am disgusted at the way animals are treated on this island. I am also shocked that MVA is making money out of animal owners by charging them Lm2 for every phone call and in my case, not giving me the service promised. I am also surprised that even though we are now an EU country, we still do not have proper laws that protect animals’ rights. I wonder why. Maybe because they do not vote?

Pity!

Gabriella Arrabito

BALZAN