The Ministry for Agriculture and Animal Rights has announced a scheme “to strengthen emergency veterinary care for animals.”

It said that this service will be offered in three regions, namely – in Gozo, in the north of Malta as well as in the south of Malta. Clinics licensed in these regions will be invited to participate on a rotational basis.

The service will be provided every night between 8:00pm and 8:00am as well as between 8:00am and 8:00pm on Sundays and Public Holidays until the Animal Hospital in Ta’ Qali starts operating permanently.

This will be done through a scheme in collaboration with the Council of Veterinary Surgeons, to provide an emergency service from various licensed clinics.

The Ministry said that the main objective of this service is to ensure the care and welfare of animals during times when veterinary services are not normally available.

In this way, the urgent need for accessible and high-quality emergency veterinary care across Malta and Gozo is being addressed. “This is also a testament to the government’s commitment to the protection of domestic animals,” it said.

Through this scheme, the government is ensuring that pet owners:

• Have continuous access to emergency veterinary services, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

• Can obtain timely care to reduce the suffering of their animals in the most effective way.

• Enjoy an enhanced service through financial incentives offered to clinics to participate in this emergency programme.

• Receive adequate support, where no owner is left alone when facing an emergency related to their pet.

Veterinary clinics that have a license and the capacity together with the dedication to provide high-quality emergency services are invited to express their interest to join this initiative, said the Ministry.

Full details of the scheme, including the eligibility criteria and service requirements, can be found in the Expression of Interest (EOI) documentation which can be downloaded from the website vsc.gov.mt.

In the coming days, the Veterinary Services Council will announce the selected veterinary clinics that will be participating in the Veterinary Emergency Services Scheme after official hours.

The list of participating clinics will be published on the website vsc.gov.mt.

The Ministry said that this is to ensure transparency and provide clear information to the public on where they can obtain emergency veterinary care outside of normal service hours.

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights Anton Refalo stated that the implementation of this service is a “testament to the Government’s vision regarding animal health.”

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