Owners who are keeping their dangerous animals illegally will receive an amnesty if they register their exotic pets and, in some cases, neuter them, the animal rights junior minister said.
The decision comes despite the fact that it is illegal for private individuals to keep dangerous animals unless in a zoo. That law dates to 2016 and lays down that dangerous animals can only be kept in licensed zoos.
In comments to Times of Malta, Alicia Bugeja Said pointed out that, even though it is illegal for dangerous animals to be kept by private individuals, the best way forward is to register those present in Malta.
The decision follows discussions with animal rights activists, she said.
“We will be introducing measures to ensure that any dangerous animal present in the country is registered within 90 days from the publication date of the law. Where necessary, dangerous animals will have to be neutered.”
Bugeja Said indicated the law will be introduced in the first quarter of this year.
“This approach will provide visibility on the location of these animals and prevent their breeding, ultimately ensuring public safety and the well-being of the animals themselves,” she said.
The law follows “significant legislative work that has already been carried out through the zoo law, which was amended in October 2024”, the junior minister said.
Under that law, it is not permitted for a dangerous animal to enter the country unless it is for the purpose of a conservation programme, Bugeja Said noted.
Lions, tigers, bears and venomous snakes on the list
The list of animals considered dangerous in Malta includes dozens of mammals, many reptiles and several poisonous invertebrates. Species like lions, tigers, bears and venomous snakes are on the list.
This is not the first time that the government has given owners the chance to register and regulate the status of their dangerous animals. Following the 2016 law, owners were similarly given 90 days to register their dangerous animals after regulations prohibiting private ownership were introduced.
However, an auditor general’s report in 2021 found that no legal action was taken against owners of dangerous species who had failed to register their exotic pets with the authorities.
Bugeja Said also gave an update on the big cats that were found to be living in poor conditions on a Naxxar property.
The four lions and a leopard were discovered in a state of neglect by animal rights group Vuċi għall-Annimali on New Year’s Eve.
The junior minister said the veterinary regulation directorate was working on the exotic cats’ relocation.
“The VRD is currently in continuous contact with international animal experts regarding the animals found in Naxxar in order to proceed with their relocation, as proposed by the same experts,” she said.
Animal Rights Minister Anton Refalo revealed in 2020 that just under 400 wild animals were known to be kept in captivity in Malta. Sixty-four tigers, 20 lions, 11 leopards and 24 pumas topped the list as the largest populations of wild species in captivity in Malta.