After Being Called Out, Birkirkara Mayor Says She Loves Animals And Installs Modern Cat Shelters In Garden
The mayor of Birkirkara has responded strongly to the social media outrage that was aimed at her in the last few days over cat shelters in a garden in her hometown.
Her response comes as a number of modern cat shelters were installed in ?nien L-Istazzjon as part of a refurbishment project currently underway, replacing makeshift cat shelters that had been in use before.
“It’s not about how much you say you love animals, but how much you mean it,” Joanne Debono Grech posted on Facebook.
“Whoever knows me knows I grew up loving animals. I publicly deny that I gave orders to remove the cat shelters due the project happening inside the garden,” she continued.
She went on to explain the reason behind removing the makeshift cat shelters, and cast shade on “certain people” that were trying to throw mud on the refurbishment project currently underway in the garden.
She made the comments in a public Facebook post today
“It’s not about how much you say you love animals, but how much you mean it. Whoever knows me knows I grew up loving animals. I publicly deny that I gave orders to remove the cat shelters due the project happening inside the garden.”
“These cats were not living in clean conditions.”
“Now, we’ve taken the initiative and are currently installing new shelters as well as an appropriate area to place their food and drink. The council is working with an NGO for there to be recognised feeders so in this way the cats are better fed.”
“It’s a shame that certain people use cats to cast doubt on a project like that of the station that hasn’t been undertaken in 25 years. I won’t permit those that deny Birkirkara to use this tactic to dirty the good work that has been done and is being done for Birkirkara residents.”
Alison Bezzina, an animal rights activist, had raised the alarm earlier this week after she saw cats being left out in the cold
She said that Joanne Debono Grech had yet to respond to her calls or messages, and confirmed that one council member, Owen Patrick Attard, had officially denied that it was the council that gave the order for the cat shelters to be removed.
What do you think of the cat shelters in Birkirkara?
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