On January 6, 2025, the Veterinary Regulation Directorate (VRD) of Malta stated that legal action would be taken against those responsible for keeping four lions and a leopard in poor conditions on a Naxxar farm. The animals were discovered by activists of the animal rights group Vuċi għall-Annimali on New Year’s Eve. The group said the animals had been kept without food for several days.
In a statement, the VRD said the enclosure housing the animals was not in accordance with regulations under the Veterinary Services Act and the Animal Welfare Act. It also said it was considering relocating the animals “to suitable facilities that meet all welfare and safety standards ” and monitoring the Naxxar site “to ensure the animals remain secure and do not pose a threat to public safety”.
Animal Welfare Commissioner Alison Bezzina said an “urgent and effective plan to identify illegal and unregulated wild animals in Malta” was needed and called for a “proactive approach”, and that “Malta’s limited space and resources make it unsustainable to cater to the needs of such animals, particularly when they are abandoned, since the government does not have the capacity or structure to care for these animals… There are very few sanctuaries available, and these animals would compete with other wildlife in even more dire situations, such as those from war zones, which are in greater need of safe havens.”
In 2020, animal rights minister Anton Refalo said that just under 400 wild animals were known to be kept captive in Malta, including 64 tigers, 20 lions, 11 leopards, and 24 pumas. Wild animals do not belong in captivity but in the wild. They should not be kept as pets or in private collections, nor circuses or zoos.
Sign the Pledge to Stop Supporting Wild Animals in Captivity: drove.com/.2yE8
