The Government, through the Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights and the Ministry for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation, entered into an agreement that through it the Animal Hospital in Ta’ Qali will be reopened and at the same time, from the next school year, the veterinary course will begin to be offered from this same building.
This was announced during a news conference by the Minister for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation Clifton Grima and the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights Anton Refalo.
It was explained that in August 2023, the APH Veterinary Hospital, which is the only hospital of this type in our country, had stopped its services after suffering extensive damage due to what is known as a power surge . This led to damage to the equipment that was being used in this hospital.
Minister Anton Refalo reiterated that the work to remedy the situation of the Animal Hospital has not stopped and our country will once again have an animal hospital from which veterinary services will be offered, including for the long-term care of animals.
He also mentioned the work carried out in recent years by the Government in the animal rights sector. “The reform to strengthen the function of the Animal Protection Directorate led to a new cattery ; new animal ambulance; more places for abandoned dogs; increase in the number of employees and in enforcement; the strengthening of the number 1717 and the launch of a department for funding programs, among others”, concluded Minister Refalo.
Minister Clifton Grima recalled that in recent years the government had listened to the requests of students who had the aspiration of a career as veterinarians, and had launched a Scholarship to be of financial support for these students who had to do this study abroad.
“Today we are announcing another significant step forward, because now all those who wish to follow a study path in this line, can do so in their own country. When we talk about the new National Education Strategy, we emphasize that it puts the person at the center. What we are announcing today is a clear example of this: we listened to the wishes of the students, we saw what is their aspiration for the future and we worked to make this wish come true in our own country”, concluded Minister Grima.
The Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Animal Rights Alicia Bugeja Said stated that through the reuse of the hospital for animals, the Government will continue to increase the services offered for the protection of animals. “With what we are announcing today, it is a testament to how animal protection is one of the Government’s priorities. For the first time we will be offering a course in Malta itself for prospective veterinarians and thus encourage more students to study medicine for more appropriate protection of animals,” concluded Bugeja Said.
