A vet clinic in Fgura will provide emergency services at night from January 26 but will not replace or delay the reopening of the Ta’ Qali animal hospital.
The Veterinary Clinic in Reggie Miller Square, will provide out-of-hours veterinary emergency service care daily between 8 pm and 8 am, as well as on Sundays and public holidays.
Speaking to Times of Malta, Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries Alicia Bugeja Said explained how the opening of the emergency clinic will give pet owners peace of mind that, in an emergency, a vet will always be available.
“This will not replace the Ta’ Qali Animal Hospital or delay its reopening, but is filling a gap we are currently facing where owners are struggling to find emergency care in the middle of the night,” she said.
Junior Minister Alicia Said Bugeja stressed the new clinic will not replace or delay the opening of the Ta’ Qali animal hospital.Bugeja Said said the government will also subsidise triage costs at the clinic for pet owners.
The Fgura clinic was one of two clinics that applied for the government’s expression of interest for the provision of emergency veterinary services.
Back in July, the government launched a scheme offering 24/7 emergency vet services from various licensed clinics. Yet, Bugeja Said pointed out, the scheme failed to gain one single eligible submission, which led to the decision to find one clinic which can provide an emergency service.
The opening of the emergency clinic was first announced by Animal Rights Minister Anton Refalo during the ‘Bil-Fatti’ programme on Thursday evening.
The lack of emergency veterinary services were first noted in August 2023, when the Ta’ Qali Animal Hospital closed after several machines suffered extensive damage from a power surge.
In 2024, MCAST was awarded a concession to run the facility and use it for its Master’s Programme in Veterinary Medicine, in collaboration with the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) of Spain.
In October 2025, Education Minister Clifton Grima said the hospital was to open its doors “in the coming weeks”.
Nearly three years later, and the hospital is yet to open.
When questioned for a timeline on the opening of the animal hospital, Bugeja Said stressed it will open “by this year”, adding the hospital is currently undergoing “infrastructure and innovation” works, ensuring it has the highest standard of technology and equipment.
Bugeja Said continued that three reports were filed last year after pet owners were unable to access care for their pets during out-of-service hours, despite the veterinary association being legally bound to ensure that animals in critical condition receive care without delay, regardless of the time of day.
“We cannot continue having a situation where pet owners struggle to find emergency services at night. This is why we are opening this emergency clinic.”