Comments on: Pets or Pests? Malta’s street animals http://www.maltainsideout.com/6271/pets-or-pests-maltas-street-animals/ Real People. Real Malta. Insider Knowledge. Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:56:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Elizabeth Ayling http://www.maltainsideout.com/6271/pets-or-pests-maltas-street-animals/comment-page-1/#comment-3857 Elizabeth Ayling Sun, 29 Aug 2010 20:31:39 +0000 http://www.maltainsideout.com/?p=6271#comment-3857 Emiliano, I have a son who really is very uncomfortable when a dog (on lead or not) comes his way. I can understand your worry. I wasn't sure from reading your comment whether you just meant 'strays', or any dog (pet). I don't often see dogs on the beach in summer, but did happen to have a very large (pet) one near me earlier this week. And you will have a lot of pet dogs pass you out for a walk on seafronts. So dogs will be present - and their deposits too on many pavements. I doubt you'll see strays much if you are in tourist areas or Mdina / Valletta for instance. They tend to be in packs in rural areas, or villages. I also doubt that you can holiday anywhere without meeting a dog though! Emiliano,
I have a son who really is very uncomfortable when a dog (on lead or not) comes his way. I can understand your worry. I wasn’t sure from reading your comment whether you just meant ’strays’, or any dog (pet). I don’t often see dogs on the beach in summer, but did happen to have a very large (pet) one near me earlier this week. And you will have a lot of pet dogs pass you out for a walk on seafronts. So dogs will be present – and their deposits too on many pavements. I doubt you’ll see strays much if you are in tourist areas or Mdina / Valletta for instance. They tend to be in packs in rural areas, or villages. I also doubt that you can holiday anywhere without meeting a dog though!

]]> By: emiliano http://www.maltainsideout.com/6271/pets-or-pests-maltas-street-animals/comment-page-1/#comment-3843 emiliano Thu, 26 Aug 2010 09:45:13 +0000 http://www.maltainsideout.com/?p=6271#comment-3843 I have read the pieces, and I have a question for anybody that is able to answer me accurately: are there stray dogs even in the streets or onto the beaches, in Malta? I am an animal lover and a volounteer for a cats/dogs shelter in Rome, but as funny as it may sound, I suffer from dog-phobia (in fact, I only deal with cats). I am planning to have a little trip to Malta, in september, and I know for sure that my vacation would be absolutely ruined and a nightmare, if I meet dogs onto a beach or while walking in town. I know it sounds like an absurd phobia, but it's irrational, and there's nothing I can do: as soon as I meet a stray dog, I immediately panic, and because dogs sense the fear, the problem can get even worse. I know I should not be afraid, and blah blah, but there's no way to convince my inner brain that stray dogs are not a threat. So, all I can do is avoid them. So, please, could somebody explain me exactly how is the stray-dogs situation in Malta? Are there particular areas that I should avoid, or areas where I would not meet any? I hope somebody can give me an accurate reply about this topic. Thank you. Emiliano I have read the pieces, and I have a question for anybody that is able to answer me accurately: are there stray dogs even in the streets or onto the beaches, in Malta?
I am an animal lover and a volounteer for a cats/dogs shelter in Rome, but as funny as it may sound, I suffer from dog-phobia (in fact, I only deal with cats).
I am planning to have a little trip to Malta, in september, and I know for sure that my vacation would be absolutely ruined and a nightmare, if I meet dogs onto a beach or while walking in town.
I know it sounds like an absurd phobia, but it’s irrational, and there’s nothing I can do: as soon as I meet a stray dog, I immediately panic, and because dogs sense the fear, the problem can get even worse. I know I should not be afraid, and blah blah, but there’s no way to convince my inner brain that stray dogs are not a threat. So, all I can do is avoid them.
So, please, could somebody explain me exactly how is the stray-dogs situation in Malta? Are there particular areas that I should avoid, or areas where I would not meet any?
I hope somebody can give me an accurate reply about this topic.
Thank you.
Emiliano

]]> By: Elizabeth Ayling http://www.maltainsideout.com/6271/pets-or-pests-maltas-street-animals/comment-page-1/#comment-3096 Elizabeth Ayling Sun, 25 Apr 2010 18:56:11 +0000 http://www.maltainsideout.com/?p=6271#comment-3096 Actually, the lady who wrote the piece here is an animal lover and has a lot of her own cats and takes strays to be neutered. That's why she put the contact details in the post about organisations that can help. Education was exactly her point. I have a neighbour who has cats as semi pets - feeding lots of them but never having them neutered. With every year that passes my garden is more and more overrun and polluted by these 'pets'. I am horrified at her lack of responsibility. Is it a religious thing - not wanting even animals safeguarded by neutering them? Street cats for the most part are rarely without food in Malta as there is plenty to be had from ripping rubbish bags apart or scavenging around the many take-aways. Dogs are the bigger problem as they can end up as feral packs roaming wastelands and need a whole lot more food. They do need assistance though often these dogs are simply going to languish in homes a while then end up being put down if they are rounded up. Actually, the lady who wrote the piece here is an animal lover and has a lot of her own cats and takes strays to be neutered. That’s why she put the contact details in the post about organisations that can help. Education was exactly her point. I have a neighbour who has cats as semi pets – feeding lots of them but never having them neutered. With every year that passes my garden is more and more overrun and polluted by these ‘pets’. I am horrified at her lack of responsibility. Is it a religious thing – not wanting even animals safeguarded by neutering them?

Street cats for the most part are rarely without food in Malta as there is plenty to be had from ripping rubbish bags apart or scavenging around the many take-aways. Dogs are the bigger problem as they can end up as feral packs roaming wastelands and need a whole lot more food. They do need assistance though often these dogs are simply going to languish in homes a while then end up being put down if they are rounded up.

]]> By: isabella http://www.maltainsideout.com/6271/pets-or-pests-maltas-street-animals/comment-page-1/#comment-3094 isabella Sat, 24 Apr 2010 22:33:22 +0000 http://www.maltainsideout.com/?p=6271#comment-3094 You say don't feed the animals, that is inhumane, it is not their fault they are fighting for survival. It is not the cats/dogs that are the problem it is the people who dump them on the streets. The only way to deal with this is neutering and education, a bit of kindness wouldn't go a miss too! Some people actually neuter the cats they feed on the streets. If I found a stray dog/cat on my doorstep i would do the right thing not turn a blind eye and hope somebody would do it for me. Perhaps that's the problem with some Maltese they like to turn a blind eye and just cant be bothered to get involved, apathy and laziness........However there are some special Maaltese people who would go without themselves then see an animal suffer thank you to them I think! You say don’t feed the animals, that is inhumane, it is not their fault they are fighting for survival. It is not the cats/dogs that are the problem it is the people who dump them on the streets. The only way to deal with this is neutering and education, a bit of kindness wouldn’t go a miss too! Some people actually neuter the cats they feed on the streets. If I found a stray dog/cat on my doorstep i would do the right thing not turn a blind eye and hope somebody would do it for me. Perhaps that’s the problem with some Maltese they like to turn a blind eye and just cant be bothered to get involved, apathy and laziness……..However there are some special Maaltese people who would go without themselves then see an animal suffer thank you to them I think!

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