Five of a dozen of animals stolen from ir-Razzett tal-Hbiberija in Marsascala have been found nine days after they were taken. The barn owls, golden pheasants, a parrot and monkey were among the animals during raids at a number of properties. Three barn owls, two golden pheasants, an Amazon parrot, a rabbit and a monkey were identified by the park personnel. The four mountain goats, a young mountain goat and a baby deer were not recovered. The animals were recovered as part of an operation by police forces following a tip-off from members of the public. Three people aged 20, 24 and 30 are expected to be arraigned in court shortly. Last week, the park had reported that unknown persons had broken into the complex, killed a deer and stole 13 animals. The intruders scaled the boundary walls at the back of the park. The General Manager of the park, Mark Sultana told www.di-ve.com that the animals were used in therapy session with children with disability. He added that all donations received will not be used to replace the animals but to improve the animal interaction facilities. He said that all animals stolen were either donated to them or as in the case of the missing baby deer breed in park.
COMMENT: NOW, LET'S HOPE THAT THEY ARE REALLY GIVEN A HIDING IN COURT! AND NOT JUST A SLAP ON THEIR HANDS LIKE A NAUGHTY THREE-YEAR OLD! COME ON, JUDGES AND MAGISTRATES, SHOW US YOUR METTLE!
Friday, October 12, 2007
Animal cruelty ... at sea as well! From today's INDEPENDENT.
Some divers who came across a rare sight some time ago – a marine turtle swimming towards Comino – were faced with a sad reality as they discovered what is suspected to be the same turtle’s head, just off Mgarr harbour on Tuesday, the owners of a Xlendi-based diving school told this newspaper.The turtle was first discovered by divers at Hondoq ir-Rummien, a popular diving spot opposite the Blue Lagoon in Comino. Being an extremely rare sight, the divers stopped to watch the turtle, which was lying on the grass and begin swimming to the surface, before it started swimming towards Comino.The diving instructor who spoke to The Malta Independent said he has been diving in the area for about 12 years and never came across a turtle. Turtle numbers have declined sharply in recent years; this is one of the reasons behind jellyfish infestations, since the turtle is one of its main predators.Marine turtles are very old reptiles and all eight remaining species are experiencing serious threats to their survival. Because of this, marine turtles are protected by a number of international conventions, including some regional ones. All marine turtles recorded in Maltese marine territory are protected by local legislation. Out of these eight different species, sightings of five of them have been recorded in Malta, the most common one being the loggerhead turtle.The divers discovered the turtle again in Mgarr harbour, but this time, only the head remained as testament to this majestic animal. The owners of the diving school said blood was still fresh around the turtle’s neck and its eyes were still greasy – all indicating a recent killing. Unfortunately, when the divers went to the Mgarr police station to file a report, they were told that nothing could be done about the situation. “Even after further protest they were unable to make any progress as all they had accomplished was to have the officer in charge ‘call his superiors’, which needless to say meant that nothing would be done about it,” complained the owner of the diving school, adding that it is about time something was done about this very sorry state of affairs.
In today's THE TIMES: Does anyone out there care??????
Where are those animals?
Perhaps it shouldn't come to me as a surprise that our country, as well as the various organisations and authorities within it, is so animal-unfriendly, in words as well as in deeds.
I am referring to the latest episode of animal cruelty that has taken place - this time, at the Razzett tal-Hbiberija, where a good number of animals, many of which were exotic, were reportedly stolen.
Barely has anyone spoken out to condemn this latest act, from the animals' point of view - various bodies which are supposedly the guardians of animal well-being in our country were very conspicuous by their silence.
Animal lovers surely need to know what action has been taken and is still being taken by the police regarding this serious matter.
Furthermore, one should also investigate whether the authorities at Razzett tal-Hbiberija were responsible enough with the animals that were under their care.
It is true that it is, indeed, a pity that the young children making use of the amenities of the Razzett are now bereft of the animals that are so important for all kinds of therapy. However, I am very disgusted that the Razzett tal-Hbiberija's short comments were simply directed at the loss that the young patrons have suffered with the theft. Not a single comment was made about their worry as to where these animals are now. Or about the deer that was savagely killed.
It remains to be said, and with emphasis, in my opinion, that animals are not simply a means to an end but they are an end in themselves - they are sentient beings as much as you and I are. Hence, it is simply not enough to see that these animals are replaced as if nothing has happened.
Before any animals are used by Ir-Razzett again, its authorities have to see that there is the necessary level of security around the premises in which the animals are kept. Preferably, there should be an overnight watchman to oversee the safety of the animals.
The competent authorities must not give up on their search to retrieve the animals and to bring the culprits to justice, particularly in view of the atrocious death of one of them, a deer, a gentle and beautiful animal which I, for one, have never seen in real life.
Is there anyone out there who wonders where these animals are? Surely, in a small country like Malta, it is not easy to harbour these exotic animals in one's yard or garden, without the neighbours getting to know about it. Unless, of course, these animals are being kept in some isolated farm or garage till the hue and cry dies down.
But then, again, what hue and cry?
Perhaps it shouldn't come to me as a surprise that our country, as well as the various organisations and authorities within it, is so animal-unfriendly, in words as well as in deeds.
I am referring to the latest episode of animal cruelty that has taken place - this time, at the Razzett tal-Hbiberija, where a good number of animals, many of which were exotic, were reportedly stolen.
Barely has anyone spoken out to condemn this latest act, from the animals' point of view - various bodies which are supposedly the guardians of animal well-being in our country were very conspicuous by their silence.
Animal lovers surely need to know what action has been taken and is still being taken by the police regarding this serious matter.
Furthermore, one should also investigate whether the authorities at Razzett tal-Hbiberija were responsible enough with the animals that were under their care.
It is true that it is, indeed, a pity that the young children making use of the amenities of the Razzett are now bereft of the animals that are so important for all kinds of therapy. However, I am very disgusted that the Razzett tal-Hbiberija's short comments were simply directed at the loss that the young patrons have suffered with the theft. Not a single comment was made about their worry as to where these animals are now. Or about the deer that was savagely killed.
It remains to be said, and with emphasis, in my opinion, that animals are not simply a means to an end but they are an end in themselves - they are sentient beings as much as you and I are. Hence, it is simply not enough to see that these animals are replaced as if nothing has happened.
Before any animals are used by Ir-Razzett again, its authorities have to see that there is the necessary level of security around the premises in which the animals are kept. Preferably, there should be an overnight watchman to oversee the safety of the animals.
The competent authorities must not give up on their search to retrieve the animals and to bring the culprits to justice, particularly in view of the atrocious death of one of them, a deer, a gentle and beautiful animal which I, for one, have never seen in real life.
Is there anyone out there who wonders where these animals are? Surely, in a small country like Malta, it is not easy to harbour these exotic animals in one's yard or garden, without the neighbours getting to know about it. Unless, of course, these animals are being kept in some isolated farm or garage till the hue and cry dies down.
But then, again, what hue and cry?
Read this beautiful write-up taken from today's THE TIMES.
Dog helps identify injured woman
A dog's love for its owner played a crucial role in helping the police identify an elderly woman who was found lying on the ground seriously injured in a Birkirkara street on Wednesday afternoon.
After the mishap, the dog who was accompanying the 74-year-old woman, returned to her home and stood by the front door. When this was brought to the attention of the police, neighbours helped identify the injured woman as the dog's owner, sources close to the police said.
The police had some difficulty in identifying the woman at first, that is until her dog appeared in the scene.
The sources said the police have ruled out foul play. The woman, who was found in Triq il-Qasab, Birkirkara, was still in critical condition yesterday, the police said.
Investigations revealed that the woman went to Triq il-Qasab to feed some cats accompanied by her dog, when she suddenly fell ill and collapsed, seriously injuring herself.
COMMENT: I WILL NOT SPOIL THIS STORY WITH SUPERFLUOUS COMMENTS.
A dog's love for its owner played a crucial role in helping the police identify an elderly woman who was found lying on the ground seriously injured in a Birkirkara street on Wednesday afternoon.
After the mishap, the dog who was accompanying the 74-year-old woman, returned to her home and stood by the front door. When this was brought to the attention of the police, neighbours helped identify the injured woman as the dog's owner, sources close to the police said.
The police had some difficulty in identifying the woman at first, that is until her dog appeared in the scene.
The sources said the police have ruled out foul play. The woman, who was found in Triq il-Qasab, Birkirkara, was still in critical condition yesterday, the police said.
Investigations revealed that the woman went to Triq il-Qasab to feed some cats accompanied by her dog, when she suddenly fell ill and collapsed, seriously injuring herself.
COMMENT: I WILL NOT SPOIL THIS STORY WITH SUPERFLUOUS COMMENTS.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
The extent that Maltese hunters and trappers can reach!
BirdLife ranger shot in the face
The ranger of the Foresta 2000 site in Mellieha, Ray Vella, was shot in the face by a hunter while tending to his own field in Wied il-Mizieb, BirdLife said yesterday.Vella, a long-time member of BirdLife, has been the ranger of the Foresta 2000 site in Mellieha for the last four years personally tending to the trees, near the Red Tower where 3,000 trees were damaged by vandals last May.On Monday afternoon at 5:52pm, Vella had just arrived at his field and was tending to his land when a hunter shot in his direction from a distance of around 35 metres.“I was hit in the face in several places and shouted out in pain, making it clear to the hunter that I was hit,” said Vella.“The hunter in turn aggressively shouted back at me, swearing at me and cursing BirdLife, clearly showing that he knew who I was. He then ran off, while taunting me over his shoulder to call the Police.”Vella immediately contacted the emergency services, Police and BirdLife Malta. However, while Dr Andre Raine, BirdLife’s conservation manager, reached the site at 6:27pm, the police only got there a full one hour and three minutes after the incident.An X-ray taken of Vella revealed one lead pellet embedded in his nose, which was subsequently extracted by doctors at St Luke’s Hospital.BirdLife yesterday said Vella was lucky to have sustained light, superficial injuries. “Had the shot been a centimetre to the right he would have been shot in the eye.”Vella later rendered a full statement to the police and expressed his intention to proceed with pressing charges.“This is outrageous, appalling and unacceptable. Words do not suffice to condemn what happened to Ray and to adequately express BirdLife’s incredulity with the way that our citizens cannot enjoy their country side in safety,” said Joseph Mangion, BirdLife Malta president.“Vandalism of nature protection projects, indiscriminate killing of protected species and xenophobic messages inciting violence have become the order of the day. Political parties cannot continue to allow these barbaric acts to continue to be inflicted on the people of Malta. What does this say to our children, what morals are we teaching them? We urge all political parties to take a common stand to put an end to these criminal acts,” Mangion said.Din l-Art Helwa also condemned the criminal act and urged the government to bring the criminal to justice. In a statement, the Environment Ministry expressed solidarity with Vella, saying the attack was linked to his affiliation with BirdLife.
COMMENT: FURTHER COMMENTS ARE SUPERFLUOUS. THEN, YOU HAVE PEOPLE CLAIMING THAT TO BE A HUNTER, IN MALTA, DOES NOT MEAN YOU ARE A CRIMINAL! UTTER RUBBISH! WIELDING A GUN AT BIRDS IS THE SAME AS WIELDING A GUN AT A PERSON.
The ranger of the Foresta 2000 site in Mellieha, Ray Vella, was shot in the face by a hunter while tending to his own field in Wied il-Mizieb, BirdLife said yesterday.Vella, a long-time member of BirdLife, has been the ranger of the Foresta 2000 site in Mellieha for the last four years personally tending to the trees, near the Red Tower where 3,000 trees were damaged by vandals last May.On Monday afternoon at 5:52pm, Vella had just arrived at his field and was tending to his land when a hunter shot in his direction from a distance of around 35 metres.“I was hit in the face in several places and shouted out in pain, making it clear to the hunter that I was hit,” said Vella.“The hunter in turn aggressively shouted back at me, swearing at me and cursing BirdLife, clearly showing that he knew who I was. He then ran off, while taunting me over his shoulder to call the Police.”Vella immediately contacted the emergency services, Police and BirdLife Malta. However, while Dr Andre Raine, BirdLife’s conservation manager, reached the site at 6:27pm, the police only got there a full one hour and three minutes after the incident.An X-ray taken of Vella revealed one lead pellet embedded in his nose, which was subsequently extracted by doctors at St Luke’s Hospital.BirdLife yesterday said Vella was lucky to have sustained light, superficial injuries. “Had the shot been a centimetre to the right he would have been shot in the eye.”Vella later rendered a full statement to the police and expressed his intention to proceed with pressing charges.“This is outrageous, appalling and unacceptable. Words do not suffice to condemn what happened to Ray and to adequately express BirdLife’s incredulity with the way that our citizens cannot enjoy their country side in safety,” said Joseph Mangion, BirdLife Malta president.“Vandalism of nature protection projects, indiscriminate killing of protected species and xenophobic messages inciting violence have become the order of the day. Political parties cannot continue to allow these barbaric acts to continue to be inflicted on the people of Malta. What does this say to our children, what morals are we teaching them? We urge all political parties to take a common stand to put an end to these criminal acts,” Mangion said.Din l-Art Helwa also condemned the criminal act and urged the government to bring the criminal to justice. In a statement, the Environment Ministry expressed solidarity with Vella, saying the attack was linked to his affiliation with BirdLife.
COMMENT: FURTHER COMMENTS ARE SUPERFLUOUS. THEN, YOU HAVE PEOPLE CLAIMING THAT TO BE A HUNTER, IN MALTA, DOES NOT MEAN YOU ARE A CRIMINAL! UTTER RUBBISH! WIELDING A GUN AT BIRDS IS THE SAME AS WIELDING A GUN AT A PERSON.
Monday, October 8, 2007
More about the Razzett tal-Hbiberija animals' tragedy.
From today's THE TIMES. Ms Schiro from San Gwann writes:
Reading the newspaper on October 3 filled me with disgust to say the least. First the cowardly act of the ranger being shot at, then the barbaric nightmare that occurred at Ir-Razzett tal-Hbiberija.
If nothing is done to curb these heartless criminals, from now on, all the Maltese will be guilty of such crimes.
The headlines should read:
We killed an innocent deer.
We shot so many birds.
We hurt so many horses.
We maltreated dogs and cats.
Shall I go on? It is truly sickening.
Most of all the angels at Ir-Razzett tal-Hbiberija are left with a void so difficult to explain. The chain in their vital routine has been broken.
So the time has come to take action and again I ask "Why kill the deer?"
So far, there hasn't been the howl of protest from the general public as there was when hundreds of trees were vandalised near the Torri l-Ahmar on top of Mellieha Bay. I wonder why. After all, with all due respect to trees - which I love very much! - animals are sentient beings as much as us, human beings! So, why isn't there so much fuss?
It is also a pity that the management at the Razzett only spoke about how the animals' loss is going to affect their children. After all, who cares about the animals?
This having been said, one wonders what actions is being taken by the Police, if at all. After all, this is Malta - a small island where everyone knows what everyone else is doing. So, how can one possibly hide the presence of such animals as monkeys and deer, unless they are being housed in some 'lonely' farm or garage? Police should take note!
Reading the newspaper on October 3 filled me with disgust to say the least. First the cowardly act of the ranger being shot at, then the barbaric nightmare that occurred at Ir-Razzett tal-Hbiberija.
If nothing is done to curb these heartless criminals, from now on, all the Maltese will be guilty of such crimes.
The headlines should read:
We killed an innocent deer.
We shot so many birds.
We hurt so many horses.
We maltreated dogs and cats.
Shall I go on? It is truly sickening.
Most of all the angels at Ir-Razzett tal-Hbiberija are left with a void so difficult to explain. The chain in their vital routine has been broken.
So the time has come to take action and again I ask "Why kill the deer?"
So far, there hasn't been the howl of protest from the general public as there was when hundreds of trees were vandalised near the Torri l-Ahmar on top of Mellieha Bay. I wonder why. After all, with all due respect to trees - which I love very much! - animals are sentient beings as much as us, human beings! So, why isn't there so much fuss?
It is also a pity that the management at the Razzett only spoke about how the animals' loss is going to affect their children. After all, who cares about the animals?
This having been said, one wonders what actions is being taken by the Police, if at all. After all, this is Malta - a small island where everyone knows what everyone else is doing. So, how can one possibly hide the presence of such animals as monkeys and deer, unless they are being housed in some 'lonely' farm or garage? Police should take note!
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Wilful brutality against animals ... again!
fROM today's www.di-ve.com:
Thirteen animals have been stolen while another was brutally killed in a theft from the Animal Park at the Razzett tal-Hbiberija. The theft took place during the night between Sunday and Monday and was clearly a planned one, a spokesperson for Razzett tal-Hbiberija said. Three barn owls, two golden pheasants, four mountain goats and a baby, one Amazon parrot, one baby deer, one rabbit and one monkey were stolen. In all, the animals were worth around Lm1,000 (€2,329). (COMMENT: WHAT THE HELL DO WE F********* CARE ABOUT HOW MUCH THEY'RE WORTH????? THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT!!!!!!) The thieves also brutally killed a deer while committing the crime. The direct victims of the crime are the children who benefit from the therapy programmes making use of animal interaction, the spokesperson further said whilst highlighting the sadness of all the staff at Razzett tal-Hbiberija at such an act.
COMMENT: NO WAY: THE DIRECT VICTIMS OF THE CRIME ARE THE ANIMALS THEMSELVES!
ANYWAY: I DON'T BELIEVE THAT ORGANISATIONS SHOULD KEEP ANIMALS LOCKED UP UNATTENDED!
Thirteen animals have been stolen while another was brutally killed in a theft from the Animal Park at the Razzett tal-Hbiberija. The theft took place during the night between Sunday and Monday and was clearly a planned one, a spokesperson for Razzett tal-Hbiberija said. Three barn owls, two golden pheasants, four mountain goats and a baby, one Amazon parrot, one baby deer, one rabbit and one monkey were stolen. In all, the animals were worth around Lm1,000 (€2,329). (COMMENT: WHAT THE HELL DO WE F********* CARE ABOUT HOW MUCH THEY'RE WORTH????? THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT!!!!!!) The thieves also brutally killed a deer while committing the crime. The direct victims of the crime are the children who benefit from the therapy programmes making use of animal interaction, the spokesperson further said whilst highlighting the sadness of all the staff at Razzett tal-Hbiberija at such an act.
COMMENT: NO WAY: THE DIRECT VICTIMS OF THE CRIME ARE THE ANIMALS THEMSELVES!
ANYWAY: I DON'T BELIEVE THAT ORGANISATIONS SHOULD KEEP ANIMALS LOCKED UP UNATTENDED!
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