Contractor facing fraud charges wants to shift big cats to Cyprus
Animal rights NGO questions how certain exotic animals are even allowed to enter Malta in the first place
A contractor facing fraud charges and with a history of failing to register dangerous animals bred in Malta has sought court permission to export four leopards and four pumas to a Cyprus zoo.
Animal rights activists have raised concerns about the suitability of a Rabat property used by contractor Martin Farrugia to keep a number of dangerous animals, as it was found to lack the necessary planning permits to act as a makeshift zoo.
Farrugia has in the past been denied permission by the Planning Authority to sanction various structures in his makeshift zoo, including cages and a paddock where animals are kept.
The contractor, who faces an asset freeze that also covers his exotic animals, has now asked a court for permission to transfer four of his leopards and four pumas to Pafos Zoo in Cyprus.
A court agreed to his request, on the condition that the big cats remain his property and the necessary clearance is sought from both local and foreign authorities to carry out the transfer to Cyprus.
When Farrugia was hauled to court in 2023 to face charges of fraud, tax evasion and money-laundering, which he denies, investigators detailed how he was found to own dozens of exotic animals, including tigers and lions, as well as luxury cars, including two Lamborghinis.
Investigators testified how they found seven lions, six tigers, eight pumas, two leopards, two black leopards and 16 horses at Farrugia’s farms in the limits of Rabat and Siġġiewi.
Farrugia had told police at the time that he spends some €1,000 a week to feed his exotic pets.
In 2024, Farrugia was fined €20,000 for failing to heed demands by the veterinary services to register 11 dangerous exotic cubs he bred.
Despite Malta’s small size, some 400 wild animals were known to be kept in captivity in 2020.
Last year, the government granted an amnesty to owners of dangerous animals who came forward to register their animals.
The exercise revealed the existence of 96 unregistered dangerous animals, which included chimpanzees, baboons, Bengal tigers and even a waterbuck antelope.
Animal Liberation Malta, an animal rights NGO, questions how certain exotic animals are even allowed to enter Malta in the first place.
“These aren’t pets; they’re living beings turned into mere objects of vanity and ego,” the NGO said.