The owner of the Orfei animal circus, which has set up the big top in Floriana, yesterday invited the Animal Rights Coalition to check for themselves the welfare of his animals.

How could an animal trust you if you hit it?

The call came after the coalition expressed its disappointment that “once again”, an animal circus had been welcomed to our shores.

Massimo Orfei, whose circus hails from Naples, said the coalition had every right to protest but argued that unlike other acts, his animals were well treated.

“We are aware that animals are maltreated in some circuses but you cannot put everyone in the same pot. I have grown up with these animals... They are my family. They were all born on the circus and they remain in my family till death does us part,” he said when asked what happens to the animals when they are too old to perform.

A colourful pavilion was this week set up near the Floriana Granaries, inviting passers-by to be entertained by some 40 animals. This immediately called the Animal Rights Coalition into action. Representatives of the coalition yesterday urged the government to abide by the Animal Welfare Act and conduct regular animal behaviour checks. It commended the Education Ministry’s policy of not organising school trips to the circus as well as the position of the Church’s Environment Commission which condemned the training of animals in circuses as a form of animal cruelty.

It called on the authorities to ban such circuses from coming to Malta and asked the public to take an informed decision on whether to visit the circus, because cruelty “is not just limited to domestic animals”.

A representative of the coalition said the animal welfare directorate gave a narrow definition of what constituted cruelty.

“It is against their nature to perform circus acts and entertain an audience, and this is not justifiable even if the animals were born on a circus. Is cruelty justifiable just because one is used to it,” she asked, adding that most animals were taught tricks through punishment and spanking.

Mr Orfei, a member of a celebrity Italian circus family, however, insisted his animals had never been trained through punishment but lured with food.

The Animal Rights Coalition, made up of 23 animal rights organisations, will be holding a symbolic protest against animal circuses on December 20 at 6 p.m. starting from City Gate, Valletta.