MFA ‘ADOPTS’ RESCUED DOG AS NATIONAL TEAMS’ MASCOT

Football is automatically associated with the values of Respect and Fair Play, but the MFA administration has now taken the significance of these words to new levels. This is in line with the Association's policy of exploiting the popularity of football to raise awareness on issues that need to be addressed if we want to live in a better society. The prevention of cruelty to animals is one of these issues.    The story began following an article that was carried in ' The Times' a few days ago where it was reported that a soaking wet dog was found tied to a wooden fence in a Mellieha field where he had spent the night in the cold rain. The dog was rescued by Fabio Ciappara, from Noah's Ark animal sanctuary, who said that he had been alerted to the dog's presence by a hunter who had noticed the animal on Saturday afternoon, but thought that the owner may have tied him there temporarily. But when the hunter spotted the dog still in the same place on Sunday, after a night of wind and rain, he called the sanctuary. "The dog shivered so much he could barely sit. The rope he was tied with was barely a foot long, so the poor thing could not even rest his head on the ground. When I arrived, the dog initially growled at me, but when I removed the rope and put him in my van he let me dry him with a towel," Mr Ciappara said. The dog, a black mixed breed that is about 1 year old, was initially named Sunday, the day he was taken into the sanctuary's warm custody. The article prompted a reaction from the MFA President, Norman Darmanin Demajo, who is well known for his love of animals, and who decided to contact the sanctuary to enquire about the dog's health and about the possibility of adopting the dog as a mascot for the MFA National teams. Mr Ciappara welcomed the suggestion and offered to look after the dog and nurse it until 'Sunday' can take up official 'mascot' duties with the MFA. As a token of appreciation and support for the work carried out at Noah's Ark, the MFA President presented a cheque to the sanctuary, which is run completely on a voluntary basis. This is indeed a novel initiative that strengthens the Associations commitment to Social Responsibility that seeks to harness the popularity of football and channel it in the right direction.The message is clear - football can be an instrument in the process of educating people against cruelty to animals. At present, members of the public are invited to pay a visit to the Noah's Ark sanctuary, which is situated close to Paradise Bay, and to see 'sunday' and check out his recovery process. Through this initiative the MFA has set an example to be followed by society, not the least children, that animals are creatures to be loved and cared for. In the near future the Association will be engaging the public, especially children, and asking for suggestions about possible suitable names for the dog, so watch out for further notices on the MFA website and Facebook.