Part 2
On 17 June a group of about 72 people celebrated the launch of a new British-Maltese charity which aims to help all animal sanctuaries in Malta and to train young people in animal care and environmental awareness in schools and the media. Brenda Swift, the founder of this new charity, shares with us in this second part, the aim of ShareMalta (Support for Homeless Animals, Research and Education)
Domesticated animals are our responsibility
Adoption includes having animals checked and vaccinated immediately by a vet when young and safely homed and trained to ensure good management behaviour when fully grown. Bad behaviour is a major reason dogs are abandoned. Train them young! Contact us for further information. (Dog training for blind and deaf people, is being planned soon through Happy Paws).
When you adopt a sweet abandoned puppy or kitten, the care MUST begin immediately by going straight to the vet to check on his/her immediate health needs, such as correct food, worming and flee treatment. Ask the vet for a leaflet on pet care and a card to record your pet’s treatment. The vet will then discuss a vaccination and neutering programme to avoid unwanted sick animals coming into the world and being abandoned yet again! (For males, neutering also prevents cancer and injury in dog fights).
Animals do feel pain, fear and loneliness when their owners abandon them. Animals don’t often choose to leave a home offering food and shelter unless badly treated. Talking of food and shelter, this summer remember to shelter the animals from the hot sun and be given fresh cool water from time to time.
Volunteers and donations are always needed to help the many sanctuaries in Malta. So please write to us if you wish to help and become a Share in the Care member and receive a quarterly newsletter. The membership fee of Lm6 a year goes towards animals’ food, vaccinations and care and registers your support. Phone Maria on 9947 9883 for more details.
COMPETITION
Open to young readers 7 and 13 years - age will be taken into consideration
Design a hand drawn/painted poster featuring a newly adopted cat or dog to remind people what they should do to protect the animal and environment.
PRIZE: A year’s supply of cat or dog food will go to the winner plus training in animal care with the ShareMalta team.
Please send entries with name, address and school to: Ms Brenda Swift, The ShareMalta Foundation, P. O. Box 10, St Paul’s Bay SPB 15. Mark the envelope Competition and over the picture print/write: Share in the Care of animals by……….
Closing date: 1 September.
Joint competition sponsors: ShareMalta and Happy Paws Animal Charity shops whose proceeds go towards neutering vouchers and training dogs for blind people.