‘Justice For Ruby, Kim & The Rest’: Pet Owners Unite For Legal Action Funding Campaign Following Tragic Pet Saga
Pet lovers, animal lovers and activists have come together to back a crowdfunding project launched by distraught Gozitan dog owners whose pets had reportedly gone missing and faced tragic outcomes under a pet sitter’s care.
The shocking stories of Ruby, Kim and other dogs made headlines this summer, when dogs under the sitter’s care went missing.
Ruby, described by her owners as “a gentle female British staffie”, had been “secretly reported missing” to Animal Welfare one day after being handed over to Doggy Day Care Gozo during one of this summer’s heatwaves. Nearly two months later, and after being reported as missing twice, Ruby’s fate “remains shrouded in mystery”, with her owners still not being able to have any sort of conclusive updates on their beloved dog.
Meanwhile, “gentle giant and incredibly sensitive” Kim, a three-year-old German Shepherd, escaped the pet sitter’s residence after a front door was left open. Kim’s owners were notified of this incident six days into a holiday abroad, where they were attending a family wedding.
“We did all we could, feeling helpless, thousands of kilometres away, to contact anyone that could help in the search for Kim,” owners Diane and Edward said. “After a few phone calls, we got to know that Kim had been missing since the morning, around eight hours prior to us having been notified by the pet sitter.”
“Kim braved the scorching landscape to look for us ignoring his need for the most basic element water, because to him we were his only hope. After looking for us tirelessly for 54 whole long hours, his strength waned and his organs faltered – on Sunday 27 August, Kim succumbed to the relentless grip of dehydration.”
“In a desperate search for solace, Kim sought refuge at the edge of the cliffs, a heartbreaking testament to the depths of his suffering,” his owners said. “His fate should have been one of protection, nurturing, and love from professionals who understood their solemn duty.”
The newly-launched campaign seeks to not only raise awareness on a petition for the sector of pet sitters and dog walkers to be regulated, but also raise funds to finance legal action against the Gozitan pet sitter in question.
The aptly-named “Justice For Ruby, Kim & The Rest” campaign brings might have been kickstarted by the tragic saga surrounded the two dogs in Gozo, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg: last year alone, the MSPCA reported at least five cases of dogs being seriously injured or dying while in the care of pet sitters.
Back in 2021, a number of calls for regulations had been made, with even groomers making headlines after a healthy dog died after suffering a windpipe injury caused by grooming equipment. Animal Welfare Commissioner Alison Bezzina had even advocated for the regulation that year, but clearly, no significant progress has been made.
“Every contribution, no matter the size, will make a significant difference in our mission to bring justice to Ruby, Kim, and countless other animals,” Emily, Amir, Edward, and Diane said in the joint statement.
Share this post if you agree with the campaign’s cause and believe the islands’ pet sitters need to be regulated
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