‘Two Dead Dogs And One Missing’: Activists Call For Pet Sitting Laws Following Gozo Tragedy
In a recent distressing incident, two dogs in the care of pet sitters died, and one went missing.
The Association for Abandoned Animals shared a tragic post on Facebook outlining the negligence of a supposed “petsitter” in Gozo. Ruby and Kim, a German Shepheard and a French Bulldog both went missing under the care of the same pet sitter. Kim, the German Shepheard was disturbingly found dead the next day near a cliff.
The complaints highlight the ongoing lack of action when it comes to the management of the local animal sector. “It is time for regulations and licenses”, the AAA continued, further illustrating how easy it is to pick such a profession.
“It is time for regulations and licenses. It cannot be that everyone in our Islands can just one day wake up and decide to be whatever they want – a pet sitter, a dog trainer, a breeder, a dog boarder, a dog school and even doing ‘therapy’ for humans with animals”
The body of Kim was discovered at the base of a treacherous part in Għarb. This was a known spot where the pet sitter allowed a pack of dogs to run close to the cliff’s edge. After this recent discovery many local animal activists took to social media expressing their anger.
Animal rights activists Julie Cassar & Fabio Spiteri shared this view and expressed their grave concerns, advocating against using these specific pet sitting service in Gozo. They further underscored how irresponsible it is to let animals run loose near a steep cliff.
They have directed their statements to authorities and tagged the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and Animal Rights, Anton Refalo and his secretary Alicia Bugeja.
This is far from the first time that calls have been made to regulate Malta’s pet sitters. The tragic death of Louie the golden retriever back in October 2022 triggering a similar reply, this time by the MSPCA, who called out the islands’ lack of “proper oversight or licenses”.
What is your take on these recent tragic events?