A Colony Of Dog Scavengers Are Terrorising Residents In Madliena, Swieqi, And Għargħur

Cover photo right: TVM

A pack of feral dogs are terrorising residents and animals around the Madliena, Swieqi and Għargħur areas. Reports have come in of a number of medium to large dogs attacking animals like pet cats and dogs, as well as farm animals like hens and baby chicks.

"Urgent. Wild dogs have just savaged a cat outside my house," said one Madliena resident in an online post. "I went out to chase them off but it was already too late for the poor cat. Please keep your pets safely inside."

"This is really upsetting, especially for people walking in the area," another resident said. "This is not one dog, it’s a pack of dogs and the consequences can be very serious."

In response to the shocking reports, many residents have stopped taking their dogs out for evening walks to avoid being attacked by the pack.

"There’s a whole colony scavenging at Magħtab, including puppies"

The dogs, which seem to be coming from Magħtab, were described as "horrific and scary". One woman who saw a cat being savaged by the pack of dogs was left shocked by the attack outside of her house.

"It was horrific at that time of night," she said. "I spoke to Animal Welfare Department who said they will try to trap them tonight. They said they roam in from Magħtab. The Cleansing Department will now come to remove the dead cat. I picked her up from the middle of the road and placed her on the pavement, but it was sadly too late."

"The Animal Welfare department have apparently caught three of the dogs," one resident said. "I was told they don’t have the manpower or proper equipment to catch them. They only have one ambulance for the whole of Malta. What a shame."

Bloodstains have appeared on rocks and the ground in the areas the pack is known to run around in. The dogs have been spotted everywhere from streets to fields, with reports that they've even entered farms and homes while scavenging for food. It was in fact also reported that they damaged a tomato field.

A pack of wild dogs terrorised Swieqi residents back in 2009, similarly attacking pet cats, as well as a 15-year-old boy who was riding his bicycle.

Have you seen this pack of wild dogs?

READ NEXT: Nature Trust Clears Air Over Maltese Hedgehog Found Without Arms