Is-shana bdiet sew! Tista' thoss ix-xemx tahraq fuq il-qurriegha ta' rasek, tixwik wara ftit sekondi. Zgur li hadd ma jkun irid joqghod barra fuq it-tarmak jahraq nar, taht xi karozza,f'xis-saghtejn ta' wara nofsinhar.
Lanqas l-annimali. Il-klieb u l-qtates li m'huma ta' hadd, isibuha tassew difficli biex jghixu taht ix-xemx li kull ma jmur dejjem iktar qedha zzid fil-qawwa taghha.
Importanti, ghalhekk, li almenu noffru lil dawn l-imsejkna mezz kif ikunu jistghu jixorbu ilma frisk li jghinhom biex iberrdu lilhom infushom.
Kienet drawwa li mal-bieb ta' l-ghassa tal-pulizija tar-rahal, ikun hemm mejjilla tal-konkos jew tal-gebel mimlija bl-ilma, biex il-klieb ikunu jistghu jixorbu minna.
Tajjeb li forsi nistghu inhallu xi kontenitur barra, anke tal-plastik, mimli bl-ilma frisk kuljum. ... inkunu qedin nghinu hafna hafna lil dawn l-annimali li m'ghandhom l-ebda wens.
Nispicca billi nfakkar li mhux bizzejjed li jkollna annimal id-dar u niehdu hsiebu biex nuru li nhobbu lill-annimali ... l-imhabba taghna trid tmur lil hinn mill-erba' hitan ta' darna u nghinu lil dawk l-imsejkna li bla ma hu tort taghhom, qedin f'sitwazzjoni li jiggerew barra ghax m'ghandhomx familja li jghidu li hi taghhom.
Grazzi mill-qalb.
PS Niskuza ruhi ma' dawk li jhobbu l-Malti: ma kellix cans indur dan it-test u nirranga l-Malti sew. FF
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Monday, June 23, 2008
Pets are family-members, too!
A couple and their daughter were lucky to escape serious injury this evening following a fierce blaze at their home in Sta Venera.
Informed sources said that even as the fire spread the three had continued to fight it in an attempt to rescue some pets.
They eventually made it outside and were given assistance by rescuers from the Civil Protection Department and paramedics.
The sources said it appeared the fire had spread quickly. An eyewitness said he could see tongues of fire in the washroom.
The pets, however, also survived.
Neighbours were evacuated as a precaution during the fire-fighting operation.
Informed sources said that even as the fire spread the three had continued to fight it in an attempt to rescue some pets.
They eventually made it outside and were given assistance by rescuers from the Civil Protection Department and paramedics.
The sources said it appeared the fire had spread quickly. An eyewitness said he could see tongues of fire in the washroom.
The pets, however, also survived.
Neighbours were evacuated as a precaution during the fire-fighting operation.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
EU considering steps on seal hunt
From the BBC Website:
The European Union is considering taking measures against Canada over its annual seal hunt.
Spokeswoman Barbara Helfferich said the EU's Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas "is looking into the matter of the inhumane killing of seals".
The hunt starts later this week, off Canada's Atlantic coast.
One option for the EU would be a ban on seal imports, although there was no sign that this was under immediate consideration.
Belgium and the Netherlands have already taken this step, and the United States has banned Canadian seal products since 1972.
New rules
The EU barred the import of white pelts taken from baby seals in 1983, but a wider ban would have serious consequences for hunters and their communities, which rely heavily on the seal hunt.
This year there are new rules in place - such as making sure the animals are dead before they are skinned, as recommended by the EU in December - which are designed to appease concerns in Europe.
The authorities have set a limit for the catch of 275,000 seals, a rise from 270,000 last year.
Animal rights campaigners are putting increasing pressure on the EU to take tougher measures against the hunt, which they describe as cruel.
A British member of the European Parliament, Neil Parish, said: "As the culling season gets underway, the time has come for the commission to take action."
Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas is preparing the text, which is to be presented "in the next few months", according to his spokeswoman.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Politics, and all that.
In MALTA at the moment, we are in the middle of a General Election campaign, and all those who are familiar with Maltese ways, will understand that things come to a standstill, people wait with baited breath to see the outcome of this five-year opportunity for the people to show WHO they want to govern them for the next five years - yes, a very important democratic stage, one which, in years gone by, was not so freely exercised as it is nowadays.
Of course, we, animal lovers and people of good will who are genuinely interested in the welfare of animals, consider it important to see what the electoral manifesto of the main political parties have to say with regard to animals and their welfare. And I mention the main political parties because in my view, the minor 'parties' have nothing to give this time with regard to how this country should be governed.
There is one 'political-party-of-sorts' which I won't even deign to mention by name in this blog - heaven forbid if any Maltese man or woman would even contemplate of voting, as otherwise, we are in a much worse mess than we were years and years ago! Then, there is Alternattiva Demokratika which I personally find as terribly wanting, this time round, probably due to its desperate bid to garner votes from a disgruntled section of the population - myself included. AD, this time, is not impressing me one iota! So, it's up to the two main political parties to impress me.
And I ... am not so easily impressed. Like an elephant, I have a long memory.
So, as you may understand from the gist of my words today, I don't have much to say with regard to what the Parties have to give to animals and their wellbeing. Animal welfare barely appears in the manifesto of the Malta Labour Party, and I have no doubt at all that when tomorrow the Nationalist Party officially launch their political programme, there will be nothing in it that will appease me as an animal lover - oh, how I love that term.
Oh, I KNOW that there are people out there who write in favour of animals and their welfare, and who are hoping for a change in the Government, with the cry that animal welfare will improve in this country. I have my serious doubts - I rather think it is a question of personal political allegiances taking the 'sopravento' and making one feel that once one's own party is in Government, things will be all right for animals in Malta and Gozo. How wrong one can be!
Anyway, that's it from me to you all. There isn't much to chew from the newspapers either, since all correspondence pages are being taken up by political affairs or by the hunting and non-hunting lobbies. I, personally, would rather stay away from that subject, especially since both political affiliations have made it clear, through words and deed, that they're out to keep the status quo over hunting, particularly the MLP that never supports the Natonalist Government in anything, let alone in this matter. Look at the way both parties are acting with regard to hunting and the EU.
Of course, we, animal lovers and people of good will who are genuinely interested in the welfare of animals, consider it important to see what the electoral manifesto of the main political parties have to say with regard to animals and their welfare. And I mention the main political parties because in my view, the minor 'parties' have nothing to give this time with regard to how this country should be governed.
There is one 'political-party-of-sorts' which I won't even deign to mention by name in this blog - heaven forbid if any Maltese man or woman would even contemplate of voting, as otherwise, we are in a much worse mess than we were years and years ago! Then, there is Alternattiva Demokratika which I personally find as terribly wanting, this time round, probably due to its desperate bid to garner votes from a disgruntled section of the population - myself included. AD, this time, is not impressing me one iota! So, it's up to the two main political parties to impress me.
And I ... am not so easily impressed. Like an elephant, I have a long memory.
So, as you may understand from the gist of my words today, I don't have much to say with regard to what the Parties have to give to animals and their wellbeing. Animal welfare barely appears in the manifesto of the Malta Labour Party, and I have no doubt at all that when tomorrow the Nationalist Party officially launch their political programme, there will be nothing in it that will appease me as an animal lover - oh, how I love that term.
Oh, I KNOW that there are people out there who write in favour of animals and their welfare, and who are hoping for a change in the Government, with the cry that animal welfare will improve in this country. I have my serious doubts - I rather think it is a question of personal political allegiances taking the 'sopravento' and making one feel that once one's own party is in Government, things will be all right for animals in Malta and Gozo. How wrong one can be!
Anyway, that's it from me to you all. There isn't much to chew from the newspapers either, since all correspondence pages are being taken up by political affairs or by the hunting and non-hunting lobbies. I, personally, would rather stay away from that subject, especially since both political affiliations have made it clear, through words and deed, that they're out to keep the status quo over hunting, particularly the MLP that never supports the Natonalist Government in anything, let alone in this matter. Look at the way both parties are acting with regard to hunting and the EU.
On a personal note ...
... I would like to apologise to all those who may have noticed that my blog has not been updated for a short while. The thing is that I have been busy working abroad as well as in Malta, and so, it's not easy to keep one's blog updated without having lots of time on one's hands. So, apologies.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
A tribute to MR KURT CIAPPARA, Noah's Ark, Mellieha. From The Times.
Anna Micallef Babola, Sliema.
I would like to thank Kurt Ciappara from Noah's Ark Sanctuary for his great help with my new dog Xarik.
I recently adopted the dog from the sanctuary in Mellieha. To my great surprise my little cocktail Chiwawa turned out to be a real tiger... I was no longer allowed on my sofa as she would be stretching there comfortably and would groan and aggressively warn me and my son off if we so much as approached the comfortable settee. She made it her territory and none of us was allowed to get close.
I ended up sitting on the carpet when we have two huge sofas...
On the contrary, I was more than welcome in the kitchen and she would wag her tail happily every time I opened the fridge. She would welcome me on my arrival from work and play cheerfully with the tennis ball when my son threw it to her.
Xarik is a very clever dog. She was found in Mellieha after being hit by a car and Mr Ciappara (age 20) from Noah's Ark rescued her. So here I was together with my son stuck on the carpet while my new arrival was stretched out comfortably on my settee... I decided to call Mr Ciappara to ask his advice. He asked me if I would like to return the dog to the sanctuary.
I refused and he immediately suggested that he should come by and assess the situation. It was January 1 so he must have been tired from the previous night's celebrations. Yet the dog's happiness was far more important for him than his own tiredness.
He arrived at 6 p.m. sharp and stayed at my place for four hours assessing what could be wrong with my mini-tiger. He got bitten when he decided to sit on the sofa; he got bitten when he decided to take Xarik's ball. His hands were bleeding yet he did not lose his temper.
Slowly he established who the real boss is. Xarik obediently left the sofa and went to her soft carpet. The youngster is fully trained to read a dog's body language and can easily help out in strange situations like the one I found myself in with my dog.
I know he is a real dog lover. Mr Ciappara - whatever your dreams are, with your dedication they will all come true! Dogs are so lucky to have you.
I would like to thank Kurt Ciappara from Noah's Ark Sanctuary for his great help with my new dog Xarik.
I recently adopted the dog from the sanctuary in Mellieha. To my great surprise my little cocktail Chiwawa turned out to be a real tiger... I was no longer allowed on my sofa as she would be stretching there comfortably and would groan and aggressively warn me and my son off if we so much as approached the comfortable settee. She made it her territory and none of us was allowed to get close.
I ended up sitting on the carpet when we have two huge sofas...
On the contrary, I was more than welcome in the kitchen and she would wag her tail happily every time I opened the fridge. She would welcome me on my arrival from work and play cheerfully with the tennis ball when my son threw it to her.
Xarik is a very clever dog. She was found in Mellieha after being hit by a car and Mr Ciappara (age 20) from Noah's Ark rescued her. So here I was together with my son stuck on the carpet while my new arrival was stretched out comfortably on my settee... I decided to call Mr Ciappara to ask his advice. He asked me if I would like to return the dog to the sanctuary.
I refused and he immediately suggested that he should come by and assess the situation. It was January 1 so he must have been tired from the previous night's celebrations. Yet the dog's happiness was far more important for him than his own tiredness.
He arrived at 6 p.m. sharp and stayed at my place for four hours assessing what could be wrong with my mini-tiger. He got bitten when he decided to sit on the sofa; he got bitten when he decided to take Xarik's ball. His hands were bleeding yet he did not lose his temper.
Slowly he established who the real boss is. Xarik obediently left the sofa and went to her soft carpet. The youngster is fully trained to read a dog's body language and can easily help out in strange situations like the one I found myself in with my dog.
I know he is a real dog lover. Mr Ciappara - whatever your dreams are, with your dedication they will all come true! Dogs are so lucky to have you.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
An honest testimonial of animals in circuses! - P John Darmanin, Cospicua, THE TIMES.
With reference to Shane Johnson's letter in The Times (January 1), I too used to believe that there was nothing wrong with animals performing in circuses. But one late evening many years ago, I happened to stop by the tents of a circus in Gzira and tried to sneak a glimpse of the animals. I had not walked far before I saw something that I had not expected. Under one of the tents there were some elephants, chained by the foot to a peg in the ground and while some attendant emptied a sack-full of cabbages for them to eat, the nearest elephant tried to go for him in vociferous anger. The attendant then grabbed a hay fork threatening a blow at the animal's trunk. I returned to the car very perplexed. What I had seen was to change my view about circus animals.
I would believe that no coercion is used when, inside the cage with a pack of lions or tigers, I see the tamer without any sticks or whips. That will be the day, because no lion or tiger will fear any bare handed human and for that reason these kings of the jungle will have to be respected. It must be the fear of the stick and the whip, gained from unpleasant past experience that makes them obey a physically inferior animal.
While I believe that some domestic animals like dogs, cats, horses etc. can be trained without aggression to perform mild and cute circus acts, I will never believe it can be the same with the wild cats. Confinement of the big cats in small cages, and chaining of elephants are forms of suffering that are often overlooked. Born to be free, these animals suffer from delusion, frustration, fear, boredom, exclusion and everything that makes them what they really are - kings of the jungle. In the circus their nature is subdued to a caricature. There is no escaping the fact that caging wild cats and conditioning them to perform tricks for selfish human pleasure is just another cruelty.
How helplessly naïve it is to rally theological misconceptions to support an assertion for human rights over animals. Lions are obligate carnivores and have no other option but to hunt when desperately hungry; it is not a question of rights. Man is the world's greatest predator remorselessly killing billions of animals annually, not to survive but to satisfy his tastes, to feast, in celebration and in sport. If Mr Johnson's God gives him licence to kill animals for food then his is not my God. My God tolerates me eating meat if circumstances demand it, as He offered me kinder and healthier nutritional options. To refrain from eating meat is to acknowledge God as the only Lord of Creation.
Our place at the head of creation imposes on us obligations not rights. Our obligations are to care for all creation in His likeness not to exploit it. Asserting the right to kill innocent creatures, a person would reflect an image of a God the ruthless hunter-predator. There is more nobleness in humanity when it embraces all creatures within its circle of compassion because like us they are infused with the breath of life. Like us they have one special desire - a desire to simply live.
I would believe that no coercion is used when, inside the cage with a pack of lions or tigers, I see the tamer without any sticks or whips. That will be the day, because no lion or tiger will fear any bare handed human and for that reason these kings of the jungle will have to be respected. It must be the fear of the stick and the whip, gained from unpleasant past experience that makes them obey a physically inferior animal.
While I believe that some domestic animals like dogs, cats, horses etc. can be trained without aggression to perform mild and cute circus acts, I will never believe it can be the same with the wild cats. Confinement of the big cats in small cages, and chaining of elephants are forms of suffering that are often overlooked. Born to be free, these animals suffer from delusion, frustration, fear, boredom, exclusion and everything that makes them what they really are - kings of the jungle. In the circus their nature is subdued to a caricature. There is no escaping the fact that caging wild cats and conditioning them to perform tricks for selfish human pleasure is just another cruelty.
How helplessly naïve it is to rally theological misconceptions to support an assertion for human rights over animals. Lions are obligate carnivores and have no other option but to hunt when desperately hungry; it is not a question of rights. Man is the world's greatest predator remorselessly killing billions of animals annually, not to survive but to satisfy his tastes, to feast, in celebration and in sport. If Mr Johnson's God gives him licence to kill animals for food then his is not my God. My God tolerates me eating meat if circumstances demand it, as He offered me kinder and healthier nutritional options. To refrain from eating meat is to acknowledge God as the only Lord of Creation.
Our place at the head of creation imposes on us obligations not rights. Our obligations are to care for all creation in His likeness not to exploit it. Asserting the right to kill innocent creatures, a person would reflect an image of a God the ruthless hunter-predator. There is more nobleness in humanity when it embraces all creatures within its circle of compassion because like us they are infused with the breath of life. Like us they have one special desire - a desire to simply live.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
When we recognise the importance of animals around us!
New from Japan:
A Japanese company is offering its employees a monthly "pet allowance" to help with the upkeep of their cats and dogs.
Kyoritsu Seiyaku, which makes animal medicines, said pets were a lifelong obligation for their owners.
Kyoritsu Seiyaku is offering its pet-owning employees about $9 (£4.70) per month, and hopes the system will spread to other Japanese firms.
The company does not, however, offer paid leave when employees' pets die.
"For now, we have introduced only the allowances, but we want to consider the condolence holiday system in future," a spokeswoman for Kyoritsu Seiyaku told Reuters news agency.
Employees may be keen to take advantage of this in the future.
The Japan Pet Food Manufacturers' Association estimates that the country's cat and dog population of nearly 18 million animals is ageing rapidly, after a boom in ownership in the early 1990s.
Analysts say that many Japanese families are deciding to put off having children, and buy pets instead.
Many older people are living alone and keep pets as companions.
"Everyone has the right to own a pet, but they also have the obligation to raise the pet for its whole life," Kyoritsu Seiyaku said in a statement quoted by Reuters.
MY COMMENTS: Well, I would not use the verb 'own' in this context. That verb would be better used to mean 'take care of', 'look after'. Speaking from my personal experience, of course. I think it is very healthy for people to have animals around them and to live together with animals. There is no harm in this. On the contrary, people certainly benefit from having animals in their households - something we call pet therapy. I think that local authorities, including companies and businesses everwhere, should consider encouraging their employees not only to take daily exercise but also to keep pets in their households. In that manner, employees go to work in a fresher frame of mind and be able to work and concentrate much more.
It is interesting to note that the Japanese company in question is also considering leave in case of pet bereavement. This is something which is lacking so much in our so-called civilised society of the West.
Then, let us go one step further and concentrate about Malta, where we don't even have decent means of disposing of the mortal remains of our pets, or other animals. Well, the Government would tell you, there is always the local BICCERIJA! Just go and dump the animal carcass in a corner of the BICCERIJA and the people working there would see to it at the end of the day! As if that is a decent enough ending/goodbye to that animal whom you loved and cherished for so many years within the comfort of your own home!!!!!!! At least, we should have a decent place, a proper field, organised enough to allow pet-'owners' to 'dispose' of their loved animals 'a quattro zampe' in a decent manner. Or, much better still, how about a decent (I keep repeating this word!), proper crematorium for animals?
A Japanese company is offering its employees a monthly "pet allowance" to help with the upkeep of their cats and dogs.
Kyoritsu Seiyaku, which makes animal medicines, said pets were a lifelong obligation for their owners.
Kyoritsu Seiyaku is offering its pet-owning employees about $9 (£4.70) per month, and hopes the system will spread to other Japanese firms.
The company does not, however, offer paid leave when employees' pets die.
"For now, we have introduced only the allowances, but we want to consider the condolence holiday system in future," a spokeswoman for Kyoritsu Seiyaku told Reuters news agency.
Employees may be keen to take advantage of this in the future.
The Japan Pet Food Manufacturers' Association estimates that the country's cat and dog population of nearly 18 million animals is ageing rapidly, after a boom in ownership in the early 1990s.
Analysts say that many Japanese families are deciding to put off having children, and buy pets instead.
Many older people are living alone and keep pets as companions.
"Everyone has the right to own a pet, but they also have the obligation to raise the pet for its whole life," Kyoritsu Seiyaku said in a statement quoted by Reuters.
MY COMMENTS: Well, I would not use the verb 'own' in this context. That verb would be better used to mean 'take care of', 'look after'. Speaking from my personal experience, of course. I think it is very healthy for people to have animals around them and to live together with animals. There is no harm in this. On the contrary, people certainly benefit from having animals in their households - something we call pet therapy. I think that local authorities, including companies and businesses everwhere, should consider encouraging their employees not only to take daily exercise but also to keep pets in their households. In that manner, employees go to work in a fresher frame of mind and be able to work and concentrate much more.
It is interesting to note that the Japanese company in question is also considering leave in case of pet bereavement. This is something which is lacking so much in our so-called civilised society of the West.
Then, let us go one step further and concentrate about Malta, where we don't even have decent means of disposing of the mortal remains of our pets, or other animals. Well, the Government would tell you, there is always the local BICCERIJA! Just go and dump the animal carcass in a corner of the BICCERIJA and the people working there would see to it at the end of the day! As if that is a decent enough ending/goodbye to that animal whom you loved and cherished for so many years within the comfort of your own home!!!!!!! At least, we should have a decent place, a proper field, organised enough to allow pet-'owners' to 'dispose' of their loved animals 'a quattro zampe' in a decent manner. Or, much better still, how about a decent (I keep repeating this word!), proper crematorium for animals?
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
2008 starts ... in a bad way. But night is always followed by day!
THE TIMES: Tuesday, 1st January 2008
Abandoned dog
Christine Bonnici, San Gwann.
I am utterly disgusted at the person who decided to tie a black dog to a pole in San Gwann and leave him stranded in the wet weather last Saturday.
I happened to be driving past, and I must say I was totally shocked.
The dog was shaking, soaked and scared. I stopped and bought him some food straight away.
I would like to thank the policewoman on duty at the St Julians police station who helped by making calls to the SPCA but unfortunately there was no reply.
I already own a dog and I cannot take in more due to space restrictions, but that is no excuse to leave a dog in the street especially in this weather.
A kind couple stopped and told me that they had already seen this dog tied up in the rain, and they weren't sure if someone owned it or if it had been brutally abandoned.
After I explained the situation they decided to offer a home to this beautiful dog. I would like to thank them again for their kindness.
As for the person or persons who abandoned the dog and left him homeless in this cold and wet weather, I wonder if he/she can have peace within themselves?
I wish the dog and his new owners a happy New Year in a loving home.
HAPPY 2008, ALL ANIMALS OUT THERE! MAY YOUR CREATOR AND ST FRANCIS WATCH OVER YOU ALL!
Abandoned dog
Christine Bonnici, San Gwann.
I am utterly disgusted at the person who decided to tie a black dog to a pole in San Gwann and leave him stranded in the wet weather last Saturday.
I happened to be driving past, and I must say I was totally shocked.
The dog was shaking, soaked and scared. I stopped and bought him some food straight away.
I would like to thank the policewoman on duty at the St Julians police station who helped by making calls to the SPCA but unfortunately there was no reply.
I already own a dog and I cannot take in more due to space restrictions, but that is no excuse to leave a dog in the street especially in this weather.
A kind couple stopped and told me that they had already seen this dog tied up in the rain, and they weren't sure if someone owned it or if it had been brutally abandoned.
After I explained the situation they decided to offer a home to this beautiful dog. I would like to thank them again for their kindness.
As for the person or persons who abandoned the dog and left him homeless in this cold and wet weather, I wonder if he/she can have peace within themselves?
I wish the dog and his new owners a happy New Year in a loving home.
HAPPY 2008, ALL ANIMALS OUT THERE! MAY YOUR CREATOR AND ST FRANCIS WATCH OVER YOU ALL!
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