Owners of illegally kept exotic animals to be given amnesty

Owners of illegally possessed dangerous animals will be granted amnesty if they register their exotic pets without even a slap on the wrist.

Despite a 2016 law prohibiting private individuals from keeping dangerous animals—allowing them only in licensed zoos— government has decided that registration is the best course of action. Speaking to the Times, parliamentary secretary Alicia Bugeja Said said that, while ownership remains illegal, tracking the existing animals in Malta is a priority.  

Following discussions with animal rights activists, government plans to implement a law requiring all dangerous animals in the country to be registered within 90 days of its enactment. Where necessary, neutering will also be mandated. The law is expected to be introduced by the end of March.

The list of dangerous animals includes numerous mammals, reptiles, and venomous invertebrates, such as lions, tigers, bears, and poisonous snakes.  

It is not yet known which animals will need to be neutered or what will happen to owners who don’t register their exotic animals. Questions have been sent to the Animal Rights Ministry.

Ownership of dangerous species in Malta was unregulated until 2016, when owners had to register the dangerous species in their possession. However, by mid-October 2020, there were still six persons, owning in aggregate 66 species, that were considered as dangerous, who had not yet fulfilled all their obligations with regard to the legislation.

Despite this, in 2020, the NAO had found that no action was taken against illegal ownership of dangerous animals.