Exclusive: Three Kittens Freeze To Death In ‘Meat Freezer’ Used As Temporary Animal Welfare Ambulance
Content warning: this article includes sensitive imagery involving hypothermic kittens
Three kittens developed hypothermia and died shortly after a ride inside a temporary delivery van that is being used as an official Animal Welfare ambulance.
The deaths happened even though Animal Welfare had been offered the use of other more appropriate vehicles to use instead of the Toyota Dyna, Lovin Malta is informed.
The Toyota Dyna is a refrigerated model typically used to carry and deliver items like dairy and meat, and is commonly used to deliver food items in Malta.
The case, which happened last week, has left animal activists shocked at the state’s inability to keep newborn kittens alive for a short drive when under state care.
The deaths occurred after the kittens were being driven from the APH Vet Hospital in Ta’ Qali to a cat feeder in a trip that took 15 minutes.
However, when the feeder found the cats, they were hypothermic, and died soon after.
Following the incident, Lovin Malta is informed that the driver of the van was dismissed.
However, activists are questioning whether the dismissal followed protocol, and whether it was the driver’s fault or indicative of a wider problem within the Animal Welfare Directorate.
The three kittens extremities' were quickly overtaken by hypothermia
AW began using the Toyota Dynas in place of ambulances after it was revealed that the ambulances being used were not air-conditioned, leaving animals in heated temperatures during summer.
To address this, AW began using the insulated delivery vans aimed at keeping items like dairy and meats at a low temperature.
However, in this case, the temperature was too low, leading to the kittens’ deaths.
The animal feeder in question made it clear that the utmost care must be used when dealing with newborns; while a grown cat or dog may have survived the 15 minute trip in low temperatures, newborns cannot.
This is the latest in a series of questionable instances within Animal Welfare. In between claims of kill shelters, lack of enforcement and inspections and being unable to offer a 24/7 consistently, animal activists are at wit’s end at what to do in a bid to better Malta’s animal situation.
Do you think more could have been done to ensure these kittens didn’t freeze to death while under Maltese state care?
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