Rescuers free six dogs trapped in a hole

Six dogs were rescued by animal lovers who helped them out of a deep hole in a Naxxar field where they had been trapped for about two days.

The strays ended up in what could have once been a well, dug out of the rock, next to Ta' Mezzi Street, in the Sghajtar area, and were heard wailing inside it.

Residents alerted the Civil Protection Department and the police and, yesterday, the Animal Ambulance and Rescue, together with a representative from Island Sanctuary and Yelp for Help went on the site to help the dogs out.

At first, the animal associations feared it was a case of abuse, which has been rampant recently. But when they saw the situation, they concluded that the dogs' captivity could have been self-inflicted and that they had probably followed a bitch into the one-storey ditch, finding it impossible to get out.

Karl Cassar, who runs the animal ambulance service on a voluntary basis, together with Claire Gafá from Island Sanctuary, ventured into the overgrown opening to try and entice the howling dogs out.

Together with Civil Protection Department personnel, who arrived on the scene with a fire engine, they managed to create a makeshift "stairway", using planks and disused pieces of wood, dumped in the surrounding fields, to facilitate the dogs' struggle out.

It was not without much cajoling - and physical effort - that the first dog managed to set himself free. In desperation, he attempted and reattempted to take that last leap but kept sliding back into the hole, despite trying to grip onto the sheer wall with his claws.

But the other dogs were soon to follow, balancing on a narrow, steep plank. After taking a couple of bad falls from a height, they too managed.

Ms Gafá spoke about the benefits of the neuter-and-release system which, she explained, contributed to keep the stray situation under control. "If every association worked together, we would solve the country's stray problem in a matter of six years," she said.

Given the situation, Yelp for Help, which aims at raising awareness and funds for the animal associations, is embarking on its latest campaign to improve the ambulance service and get it up and running 24/7.

More voluntary workers are being recruited to be trained in basic skills, such as first aid and capturing, to have a more efficient service.

As it is, the ambulance, which carries out several rescue operations a week, is run by three volunteers, and Mr Cassar uses his own vehicle.

The funds - Lm3,000 - would be used to buy a van, as well as the required traps and other equipment, Sandra Mifsud, from Yelp for Help, said.

A Naxxar policeman, who was present for the rescue operation, yesterday pointed out the danger of the hole in the middle of a field in a new residential area. It presented a hazard not only for animals but also for children who played in the area as it was not cordoned off.