Malta - British Expat Forum

Gozo SPCA Press Release

During the Annual General Meeting of Gozo SPCA, held at the Gozo NGO Centre on 16th April, the members present agreed with the Committee's recommendation that it will no longer be searching for a site for a new Centre and will concentrate its efforts on upgrading the current Centre in Victoria to comply with the new Animal Welfare Act regulations applying to sanctuaries and shelters.

The Society has tried for over 20 years to relocate to new premises, coming close on several occasions but always without success.

Recently a new site was chosen and jointly agreed on by Gozo SPCA, the Gozo Ministry and the Lands Dept. However, following months of intensive preparations for the Alternative Site Assessment Report, the Society has been informed by MEPA that a Planning Application to build an animal shelter on that site would almost certainly be refused.

This decision was a body blow to the dedicated volunteers, most of who are well beyond retirement age. The damage to morale amongst the volunteers has been so great that it was decided to give up the battle to find yet another site when obstacles are met at every turn.
The Gozo SPCA says that this will mean a great reduction in the number of dogs held, from as many as 25, to about 6 (the exact number will depend on an architect’s report). There will have to be proper facilities, including isolation/quarantine zones, which do not exist at the present time.

For further information contact info@spca-gozo.org

Betty Berry

PRO Gozo SPCA (until 30th April 2012, then retiring)

79961432

Betty Berry, Hilary Rogers (Gozo SPCA's magazine editor and volunteer) and myself are appearing on NET TV's programme Animal Diaries tonight 6:50pm to discuss this, Betty's complete retirement from Gozo SPCA, and the future of animal welfare in Gozo.

gozomark wrote:Betty Berry, Hilary Rogers (Gozo SPCA's magazine editor and volunteer) and myself are appearing on NET TV's programme Animal Diaries tonight 6:50pm to discuss this, Betty's complete retirement from Gozo SPCA, and the future of animal welfare in Gozo.

Watched the whole thing Mark, it was excellent. I was worried I wasn't going to understand you replying in Maltese, but I soon discovered that wouldn't be a worry

In return for the following comment, I'd like to make a small donation to Gozo SPCA. Can you PM me or let me know the details so I can bank transfer? Makes it much easier for me.

The comment for which I need to pay is....George Best is alive and well living in Gozo under an assumed name of Gozomark!!!

Thats very kind of you to say so Steve It was quite nervewracking doing it live, but good fun in the end


bank transfers (thank you again !) - ."George Best is alive and well living in Gozo under an assumed name of Gozomark!!! " - I thought someone had been rumaging through our recycling again, counting the empties...

GOZO SPCA HSBC Bank Republic Street Victoria Gozo

HSBC Bank Account: SPCA (GOZO) Sort Code: 44-071
Account Number: 071089122001

IBAN Code: MT43MMEB44716000000071089122001
Swift Code: MMEBMTMT

gozomark wrote:I thought someone had been rumaging through our recycling again, counting the empties...

Donation made. I'm also with HSBC so I only had to enter in your account number, hope it arrives OK. I've put my name on the reference that should appear in the bank account - you have no idea how long I debated about putting in the reference "FROM GEORGE BEST APPRECIATION SOCIETY" but then I decided the person who reconciles the bank mightn't see the funny side, so I left it

Congrats again on the show, the presenter made a good issue of the fact no(?) or hardly any locals get involved, apart from youngsters.

Thank you Yes, Moira (the presenter) is very good - she's interviewed me before, and listens to your answers in framing her next question

"you have no idea how long I debated about putting in the reference "FROM GEORGE BEST APPRECIATION SOCIETY"" - the accountant for the SPCA would have scratched his head on that one !

"The presenter made a good issue of the fact no(?) or hardly any locals get involved, apart from youngsters." - its a tricky one - Gozitans are very generous with their money to SPCA, but not their time, and we are aware we are perceived as a brits club, but wereally struggle to get locals involved in the day to day operations.

You generous donation has arrived, thank you

No problem at all. The subject matter is serious (going from 25 dogs down to 6 is drastic obviously!) and I apologise for distracting from that - but I couldn't let the Bestie link go as it was the first thing I thought when I saw you

Perhaps you should post a picture of yourself and George Best and let the public who didn't see the show decide

Well done, Mark. And thanks for donating to SPCA, Steve.

Is there any chance of those of us living outside Malta getting to see the prog?

BTW, I don't believe that GozoMark is Bestie in disguise. George has a pub in Bangkok. I wrote about it recently.

http://britishexpat.com/asia/thailand/pickled-liver-pub-bangkok/

It's just too sad to think about the SPCA press release, which is why I didn't comment on it before.

We are hoping to post on youtube next week

I'll look forward to seeing that.

He is defiantly George ,saw him play at Windsor Park (Belfast)in the 70s,he not changed a bit .

dp600 wrote:He is defiantly George ..........

I last saw him on the football ground at Victoria where he was defiantly flogging books and DVD's.

Have the production companies make up department been nominated for any prestigious awards?

the make up dept consisted of a mirror, very disappointed