It was with much sadness, and a lot of anger, that I read that Betty Berry is resigning as manager of the SPCA in Gozo.
No, I do not blame Ms Berry for resigning - I am sad, very sad that she has chosen to do so. It is a wonder that she has managed to put up with all the mental and physical abuse hurled at her personally and in her role as an officer of the SPCA, by the government and some local people, for so many years.
My anger comes from the fact that I am utterly disgusted that the government, and more specifically the Ministry for Gozo, has turned a blind eye to the needs of the SPCA and the thousands of maltreated, abused and abandoned animals they have taken care of in the past. It is appalling that in a so-called "Christian" country animals are treated and abused so badly and that nobody in authority cares! I have not read of one single case where animal abuse has been punished on this island. For example, what happened in the case of the three tal-Fenek dogs who were murdered by hanging in Xewkija a couple of years ago? Or the dogs dumped in the skip in Marsalforn? Were the perpetrators ever found and convicted? Did the police even make an effort to look for them? I think not.
I have just delved into the archives of the local media and when one reads about the dreadful things that some human (?) monsters have done to animals on this little island, it makes one's skin crawl.
Thank goodness the majority of people here who have pets do take good care of them. However, judging by the number of stray and homeless cats and dogs that roam the villages and countryside, it appears that many former pets and their offspring have simply been abandoned. Or they have escaped from a human-induced hell of abuse and neglect. For some people, it is just as well that dogs and cats can't talk...
It is about time that someone in the ministry made an effort to establish an animal sanctuary on this island. If that is too much to ask of politicians whose salaries are paid for by the people of this island, then at least they should provide a property so that the SPCA can do so.