All animals which are deemed as dangerous animals
must be registered with the Veterinary Regulation Directorate. This is a legal
obligation and keepers or owners of dangerous animals are being given up to the
5thMay 2016 to register their dangerous animals and the sites where
these animals are kept.
The list of dangerous animals is
found within the schedule of the L.N. 46 of
2016 - Owning and Keeping of Dangerous Animals Regulations,
2016 which can be downloaded from this website. This list may be updated form
time to time through a notice published in the Government Gazette.
For the registration of existing dangerous animals and the sites where
they are being kept the application form (Application for the registration of
dangerous animals already existing in Malta) for the registration of existing
dangerous animals’ needs to be downloaded, printed and duly filled. The
said form must be delivered to the Veterinary Regulation Directorate at Civil Abattoir square, Albertown, Marsa,
Malta. Applicants in Gozo can apply at Customer Care Office, Civil
Abattoir, Xewkija, Gozo.
The office opening hours are from
8:00-14:00 hrs from Monday to Friday. Once the application form is
submitted to the above offices, the animals will be registered. A €10 (euro)
fee has to be paid for every animal to be registered and payment may only be
effected through cheques payable to the AHWD (Animal Health and Welfare Department). Separate applications have to be filled for
separate sites. The owner of dangerous animals will be contacted in order to
book an appointment on the site where these dangerous animals are being kept in
order to evaluate the welfare standards and the safety measures of the
enclosures.
Keepers authorised to keep dangerous animals by virtue of these
regulations shall inform the Director through written communication sent by
registered mail or email with receipt of delivery immediately upon the
occurrence of any of the following circumstances:
(a) The escape of the dangerous animal;
(b) The demise of the dangerous animal.
The email address through which such
communication may be sent is: veterinaryregulation.mafa@gov.mt or alternatively such
correspondence may be sent to the: Animal Welfare Section, Veterinary
Regulation Directorate.
The Veterinary Regulation Directorate must be informed at the earliest
about the birth or hatching of offspring which must be registered without
delay. Any transfer of dangerous animals onto or out of your site would
require a prior request for approval.
For the registration of new offspring
or transfer of existing animals the “Application for the registration as a
keeper of new dangerous animals” must be downloaded and duly filled. For the
registration of offspring or transfer of dangerous animal the applicable fees
for the first registration of offspring or for the transfer of dangerous
animals are found within the schedule to L.N. 45 of 2016
- Fees (Owning and Keeping of Dangerous Animals) Regulations, 2016.
These regulations may also be downloaded here under from this website. The
registration form and the applicable fees have to be paid for every animal to
be registered and payment may only be effected through cheques payable to the AHWD (Animal Health and Welfare Department).
In case of any difficulties
prospective applicants may call the Customer Care Office on 22925588 during
office hours or may send their queries via email on the email address: veterinaryregulation.mafa@gov.mt
Applicants in Gozo can contact the Customer Care Office in Gozo on
telephone number 22156751.
APPLICATION FORMS:
Application for NEW Keeper and NEW Animal MT | EN