The phrase ‘a dog is not just for Christmas’ has not reached everyone in 2016 Malta, it seems. In this day and age animal sanctuaries like the Association for Abandoned Animals (AAA) still get requests for puppies to be given away as Christmas presents.
Needless to say, not all would-be adopters make the cut. “We always ask what they will do with the dog once Christmas is over, and how much space, time and dedication they have, and if we are not satisfied we will not give the dogs away,” says Rosalind Agius, one of a handful of volunteers running the Marsa dog shelter.
“A few days ago a boy called and said he wanted to take home a puppy to give to his grandmother as a gift. It turned out that the grandmother had no idea about this and the boy wanted to surprise her.”
Rosalind says the one thing that annoys her more than less-than-serious adoption requests is the abandonment of animals. “People might have the impression that the stray dog problem does not exist anymore but the fact is that there is still a high rate of abandonment.”
She showed us into the ‘quarantine room,’ where some six dogs, recently brought in to the centre, are being held for the time being. One of them, a ‘tal-kaċċa’ puppy called Lily, is just four weeks old. “Pups are supposed to stay with their mothers until they are at least eight weeks old. This is essential because they are supposed to learn social skills from the mother. Yet she was abandoned on the street.”
Lily’s story is similar to that of ‘is-Sabiħ,’ a two and a half month old reddish coloured Labrador cross. “The former owners said their dog had an ‘unplanned’ pregnancy and they managed to rehome all the puppies save for this one. So they brought him here.”
The next pen holds another dog that was found abandoned, roaming the streets of Naxxar. It was during this time that Ronald, a Rottweiler cross, was hit by a car. His injured right hind leg has healed considerably since he was brought to the sanctuary, Rosalind explains.
In the next pen seven-year-old ‘il-Bikkej’ (the crier), another Labrador cross, that was let down by his human owners, is resting. This dog too was found roaming the streets, injured. Like so many other dogs, it was taken in by the AAA.
Rosalind explains that the monthly veterinary bills run into hundreds of euro. Also included in the monthly expenses are food, medicine, bedding, energy bills and rent. The shelter goes through two 20kg bags of dry food and around 25 cans of wet food each day.
The AAA accepts donations in various forms. “Some people donate food, and we ask that they give us wet (canned) food, since this has a much longer shelf life. People can also help us out with cash donations or food or veterinary pharmacy vouchers. We also appreciate old clothing that can be used as bedding.” Dog treats, bones and dog biscuits are also included in the AAA’s Christmas wish list.
Ms Agius tells us that all dogs have names and are vaccinated and microchipped – ready for adoption. There are around ten volunteers at the centre, who work in shifts. Caring for 80 dogs is not easy task and the work involves feeding, cleaning and exercising the mutts.
Extra volunteers are always welcome. “People can either help here at the shelter, but I have to advise that the work can get messy. We also appreciate help at our charity shop.”
Apart from physically caring for abandoned dogs, AAA has been pushing for legislation changes in the field of animal welfare. The sanctuary has been urging politicians to outlaw the chaining of dogs.
Acknowledging the recent developments in Parliament, a private member’s bill by an Opposition MP and a Bill published by the government, Rosalind says she would like things to move faster. She also hopes that the new legislation will be complemented by proper enforcement.
In the meantime, AAA’s future is all but certain as the sanctuary recently learnt that the property it currently rents out might be developed. “We are looking for new premises. We’ve had positive meetings with Parliamentary Secretary Roderick Galdes but AAA’s survival depends on whether we are given a new place to work from. Buying a property is simply out of the question,” Rosalind says. “If we don’t get a new place we will have to close down gradually.
Anyone interested in helping out can contact AAA on 79730921.
Donations can be sent by SMS on the following numbers:
50617350 €2.33
50618060 €4.66
50618910 €6.99
50619200 €11.66
People can also buy an AAA calendar, which costs €5.50. All proceeds go towards the shelter and its furry inhabitants.
Pictures and video: Jonathan Borg