The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights Anton Refalo, together with the Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries, Aquaculture and Animal Rights Alicia Bugeja Said, launched the National Veterinary Emergency Service, through which three key initiatives were launched to ensure access to emergency veterinary care in Malta and Gozo outside normal working hours.
The first initiative is a free national helpline for veterinary emergencies, which can be reached via the freephone 153 Ext. 22, operated by Servizz.gov. This serves as the first point of contact, where initial triage is carried out and professional advice is given, or where necessary owners are directed to an appropriate veterinary service.
The second initiative is a State-funded emergency veterinary care support programme, which provides emergency consultations for smaller pets in genuine emergency cases outside of working hours. The public will be reimbursed for this same consultation. A call for interest will be published by the Ministry so that private veterinary clinics, both in Malta and Gozo, can express their interest in joining and providing their services according to the established criteria.
The third initiative is the opening of an out-of-hours veterinary emergency clinic, located in Fgura and which will operate daily. Opening hours are from 8:00 pm to 8:00 am from Monday to Sunday and all day on Sundays and public holidays. The public is encouraged to call the helpline before attending to ensure a more efficient service. The veterinary emergency clinic is located at 7, Reggie Miller Gardens, Fgura.
Minister Anton Refalo said that these initiatives are part of the Government’s commitment to strengthen animal welfare and fulfil the promises made in the Budget because this government seriously believes in protecting the welfare of our animals, therefore, although we are still at the beginning of the year, we immediately thought of putting this important measure into effect immediately.
“With these three initiatives we are building a national system that ensures that veterinary assistance is available when it is most needed, while working hand in hand with the private sector. This is an investment in animal welfare and peace of mind for their owners,” said Minister Refalo.
Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries, Aquaculture and Animal Rights, Alicia Bugeja Said, told me, “This initiative is clear proof that when we make a promise in the Budget, we deliver. In less than the first 30 days of the year, the national veterinary emergency system has become a concrete reality. With this step, we are placing animal welfare at the centre of our policy and ensuring that no animal is left without help, regardless of the time or day.”
