‘Are You Serious?’: Fgura Cat Shelter Fined €2,000 Over How They Treated Sick Cats
An NGO focused on stray cats in Malta has been fined €2,000 over the resources and methods used on number of ill cats – and they have taken to social media to call out the punishment.
Saying they were in “disbelief” at what had occurred, the Kitty Guardians For Strays, based in Fgura, questioned whether the fine was fair.
“Not just disgusted but also betrayed by the same people who happily send kittens to our care and at our shelter without any support or reimbursement,” they said publicly. “Is this even remotely just?”
The €2,000 fine is the lowest possible fine that Animal Welfare Directorate can give for this kind of situation under Subsidiary Legislation 439.23 of the Animal Welfare Act.
The case arose after the NGO teamed up with Ackerley Pace, who has his own shelter in Fgura.
In May, the NGO received a kitten positive for Parvo, who they said was also suffering from kidney failure.
“Even though it was scary, we had to do what is needed to isolate kittens located near, above and beneath the cat’s cage,” the NGO said.
“We placed an amount of kittens in two different cages for isolation while their respective cages were being sanitised for 48 hours respectively. Mind you, these particular kittens, 13 in total, had severe cat flu and Giardia and came from the same colony given out by someone, a certain farmer who wanted to get rid of them but we convinced him and we managed to save them all.”
Eventually, this situation was reported to Animal Welfare, who inspected the site. A large amount of kittens were found in one cage during this inspection.
“What that person didn’t know was this – the anxiety and the fear of the worst case scenarios that could unfold,” the NGO said in defence.
Admitting that they had to “compromise and improvise” in an effort to avoid the spread of further illnesses and that it “wasn’t the best situation”, they maintain that they meant well and did not believe a €2,000 fine – which, inadvertently, would be taken from money meant for the strays – would help.
“€2,000… are you serious? Is this the respect you have for NGOs working by your side? On top of not getting any support financially reimbursement for kittens we take in our care from you, you have the audacity of giving a ridiculous fine to someone who has already ruined their health, personal lives, relationships, savings and everything in between to save innocent souls where you can’t?”
“We’re already on our knees, in debt and mentally distraught… this is the last thing we need!”
Check out the official letter below
They ended by calling the fine hypocritical, not least in light of the fact that kittens are still being sent their way.
“The best part is we get fined for not being up to your ‘standards’ – but you still are happy and content in sending us kittens in our care and shelter. This is not the end of this. Justice will prevail.”
They ended by urging anyone from the public who had the means to donate to send a contribution as they had just 30 days to pay the fine and “don’t have any whatsoever to purchase food and pay vet bills let alone pay €2,000…”
Malta’s stray situation continues to fester, with volunteers dealing with a major lack of funding and resources, piecemeal initiatives and a widening gap with the state only exacerbating the already tense situation.
Do you think the fine is fair?
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