The Ministry for Animal Rights is introducing a dedicated emergency transport service to ensure that the owners of small pets can have full and effective access to veterinary care at all times, a government statement said.
This service will resolve a gap where previously, access to veterinary care was not easily available - particularly to such services in Gozo, on Sundays and public holidays.
The Ministry said that owners of small pets in Gozo faced difficulties when their animals required urgent care outside normal hours.
As a result, this emergency transport service will be operating on standby outside normal hours, namely on Sundays and public holidays, from a marked site on the island of Gozo, so that animals requiring urgent veterinary care can be efficiently transferred to the clinic in Malta.
The Ministry said that this step builds on the recent launch of the National Veterinary Emergency Service, which has already introduced a 24-hour emergency line, support for participating clinics, and a dedicated clinic in Fgura that operates outside of normal hours.
The government is also offering a refund on consultations in genuine emergency cases.
Pet owners can now use the national veterinary system to call for support, receive immediate guidance to assess the situation, and receive access to a veterinary clinic through this safe and rapid transport service if required from the sister island.
Minister Anton Refalo said that this development shows how the government is addressing concrete realities with practical solutions.
He said that the aim is to ensure that no owner of a small domestic animal is left alone in moments of emergency, regardless of where they live.
Refalo said that through this initiative, people can see that the government is not only investing in physical infrastructure, but also in services and in coordination for these systems to work well and deliver tangible results.
He said that through these measures, government is ensuring that emergency veterinary care is not only available, but also accessible.