Animal hospital opens in Ta' Qali

A new veterinary hospital was opened at Ta' Qali today, a joint venture between the government and the private sector. It replaces the St Fancis animal centre set up by the former government, which was closed for the past few months.  The hospital includes a veterinary pharmacy which is open round the clock. Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, who inaugurated the facility, said the government was ensuring that prices were kept reasonable. He said the facility was the best of its sort not just in Malta but also in the region, and it expected to attract business from Sicily. The Parliamentary Secretary for Animal Welfare, Roderick Galdes, said that while taking bringing pets for treatment would need to pay for the services offered, strays would be treated for free and special rates would be charged to those NGOs working with animals. “Today, when we talk about animal welfare, it’s not just a matter of taking dogs for their annual check-ups. This hospital will make it possible for animals to undergo orthopaedic interventions, cataracts surgery and other surgeries,” Mr Galdes said.