The government's poor planning for animal welfare has led to a situation where it is unable to enforce the law to ensure animal wellbeing, the PN has said.
In a statement on Saturday shadow minister for animal rights Janice Chetcuti said that the government's response to the case of exotic animals found living in poor conditions in Naxxar, "clearly demonstrates the government's lack of planning and vision".
Chetcuti's comments come in response to the discovery that several lions and a leopard were found living in poor conditions on a farm on the outskirts of Naxxar.
"Despite existing laws clearly stating that such animals should be immediately confiscated and provided with temporary accommodation until a suitable permanent habitat is found, the Government failed to plan for this eventuality," she said.
"Consequently, it remains unclear what the ultimate fate of these exotic animals, found abandoned, will be."
She added that the law is clear and that every exotic animal kept in Malta must be licensed, otherwise, the director for veterinary services has the authority to have the animal removed from its owner and housed in an appropriate enclosure.
But despite this, the government has failed to create adequate shelters that can house such animals, Chetcuti said.
"The Opposition has tried to understand the Government's immediate and long-term plans for these poor animals. However, so far, the Partit Nazzjonalista has not been given any guarantees or even the right to know what is being planned for these animals. We have not even been provided with basic information about the animals found and their current health status," she said.
"While public safety must always be the top priority in similar cases, it is equally important to ensure that the animals themselves are given everything necessary to guarantee a better quality of life, both physically and psychologically."
She added that the PN wants to ensure that necessary action is taken to allow the law to be enforced in this case and allow these animals to be sent to appropriate sanctuaries - ones that won't exploit them for profit - once they recover.
"We understand that this may not be an isolated case, and similar situations likely exist in our country. Therefore, we urge the Government and the relevant authorities to take appropriate legal action and prepare to ensure that Malta can properly accommodate animals that fall victim to such situations."
Chetcuti said that the Opposition also supports proposals made by animal welfare NGOs in an open letter to the Government about this case.