Owners of unregistered dangerous animals have been given three months to regularise their position or face stiff penalties.
The agriculture and animal welfare ministry said in a statement that the grace period starts immediately.
It said it was taking 'decisive' action to address concerns about the keeping of dangerous animals in Malta. The current regulations were drawn up in 2016 but since then several reports had been made about unregistered dangerous animals and the way they were being kept, it said.
Meetings were held with NGOs and animal welfare activists. In their submissions, 25 NGOs proposed a range of measures, including a grace period for the registration of animals already in Malta as well as their immediate neutering.
The ministry said it had therefore decided to introduce an immediate 90-day period for the registration of dangerous animals.
The animals must be neutered within six months, unless specifically exempt. Their keepers need to produce a certificate of competence to ensure that the animals are kept in acceptable and safe conditions.
The Director of Veterinary Services may refuse registrations where applications are considered inadequate or pose a risk to the public. Where animals cannot be suitably accommodated, registration cannot be made and the animals will be relocated, at the owners' cost.
Once registration is made, the details will be kept in the National Register of Dangerous Animals and the authorities will conduct periodic inspections.
People who fail to register their animals or do not observe regulations will be liable to an administrative fine of between €8,000 and €15,000 per animal, and fines of between €2,000 and €65,000, rising with repeat offences and including possible imprisonment for up to three years.
Registrations are to be made to the director at the Veterinary Service, Triq il-Biċċerija, Albert Town, Marsa. Further details are available on telephone numbers 205326292 and 20532625 or email veterinaryregulation.mafa@gov.mt.
The 2016 regulations had made it illegal for private individuals to keep dangerous animals unless in a zoo.
Parliamentary Secretary Alicia Bugeja Said, who is responsible for animal welfare, told Times of Malta last week that the registration requirement "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.”
Following the 2016 law, owners were similarly given 90 days to register their dangerous animals. 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.
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.
Four lions and a leopard were discovered in a state of neglect by animal rights group Vuċi għall-Annimali on New Year’s Eve. They are being relocated.