Animal rights activists held a protest outside the offices of the Veterinary Regulations Directorate on Tuesday, complaining that four lions and a leopard found in poor conditions on a Naxxar property four months ago have still not been relocated. They insisted that the animals should be sent to a sanctuary abroad.

"These animals will never be able to experience their natural habitat or express their primal instinct because captivity has taken that away from them, but we at least demand that their dignity be restored," Tanya Fontebasso of Animal Liberation Malta said during the protest in Marsa.

As two protesters dressed as big cats stood inside a cage outside the directorate's offices, others held signs that said: "We want immediate action," "Stop the abuse", and "Pounce for justice".

Althea Galea of Vuċi għall Animali, who was among those who had reported the poor conditions of the four lions and leopard on New Year's Eve, said that despite promises that the animals would be moved to a suitable site, nothing had happened. 

She said that the NGO and other activist groups met the Veterinary Regulations Department last week.

"They told us that relocation is unlikely and instead they will look to make the cages in Naxxar bigger," Galea said.

Such animals should not be kept in Malta and they should be moved to sanctuaries abroad that were willing to take them in, she said.

"We don't want offenders to end up keeping their animals. We don't want such animals to remain in cages in Malta," she said.

Animal activist and broadcaster Moira Delia said dangerous animals should never enter Malta because the country did not have the necessary infrastructure for them.

"There is no safe place for lions, tigers or bears in this country," she said.

Delia said animal rights minister Anton Refalo and his junior minister Alicia Bugeja Said had shown indifference to animal rights.

"You are not animal lovers", she said of the ministers, to the applause of the crowd.

Speakers at the event, who included Enrico Rizzi, an Italian activist, also insisted that the owners of the five big cats should be held fully accountable.

Some of the protest placards.

Earlier on Tuesday Times of Malta reported that the big cats found in Naxxar have yet to undergo any physical medical examinations. 

The identity of the owner is still unclear.

Those present for the protest included Janice Chetcuti, shadow minister for animal welfare.