No monkey business...
The advert posted on Malta Park.
An advert selling baby monkeys, posted on a popular online trading site, is being investigated by the animal welfare directorate since apes can only be sold by a licensed person, according to law.
This legal principle will soon be extended to all four-legged pets, including puppies and kittens, as new regulations will make it illegal to sell them without a licence.
The monkey sale advert was posted on the website Malta Park and includes a picture of a young monkey listed under the title ‘baby monkeys’ being sold for€40 each.
The Times rang the mobile number displayed on the advert after the directorate confirmed that it was investigating the case. A man on the other end of the line said he never posted the advert, adding it was all “a joke”.
This is not the only online advert promoting monkeys for sale.
A simple Google search revealed other species for sale in Malta, at €250, on the website 4sale.com.mt.
A Rural Affairs Ministry spokesman said that, by law, monkeys could only be kept by approved establishments that were either institutions with a zoo licence or institutes approved for the production and conservation of such species.
“A household cannot be an approved institute,” the spokesman said, adding that the directorate was “looking at the said website (Malta Park) and the said (monkey) case is being investigated”.
Can people sell their common pets online?
The spokesman said this was only restricted in the case of dogs so far, but things would change when new regulations on the protection of animals offered in pet shops, currently in draft form, came into force.
The regulations will soon be published in the Government Gazette.
Regulations on dog breeding stipulate that those who breed more than four litters a year require a special licence.
There is no specific legislation regulating the breeding and sale of cats for the time being.
“Once the regulations are out, it will be against the law to sell pets online.
“The sale of pets may only be allowed from pet shops or licensed breeders,” the spokesman explained.
Under the new regulations, no trader may stock, keep, sell or offer for sale any animal without a licence from the veterinary services. An additional licence would be required in the case of exotic animals.
“These regulations will further strengthen the legislation in force with regard to the online trade in pet animals, because pets may only be sold from licensed pet shops,” the spokesman said.
There is an exception for a limited number of bird species that may be sold in open markets or street markets, provided that certain animal welfare conditions are satisfied.
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12 Comments
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Miriam Casha
Jul 5th 2012, 19:53
Dear Mr Caruana
Please be informed that SPCA is NOT subsidised by anyone. Our source of income is through Fundraising Activities and donations. Any other charges for services rendered to the public,, like putting down of sick animals at the request of their owners, are charged at cost. The cost covers the vet's fee, medicine and other expenses incurred by us to take care of the remains of the beloved pet. I assure you that SPCA is not making money out of this service.
SPCA - - Home Manager
Mr leo attard
Jul 5th 2012, 14:15
i thought the picture was that of a person surprised by the RCC motion results
Franco Farrugia
Jul 5th 2012, 17:03
And we are all laughing so much, you have no idea how much we are laughing!!!! (Sic)
Mr leo attard
Jul 5th 2012, 21:04
ah franco, a sense of humor is the key to nirvana...... try it! local politics should provide you with a lot of humor!
Ms Sylvia Zammit
Jul 5th 2012, 13:24
It will be against the law - but will the law be upheld and enforced? If it is enforced - will it be just another farce as the recent cases of animal cruelty brought to justice seem to have been? An appeal or suspended sentence?
Stefania - you have no idea! I can mention just 1 case where someone who breeds pugs had a whole garage full of cages with mothers and litters of puppies - you could just take your pick. At least they were kept inside, and in 'reasonable' conditions. Forget about a licence though! Dog and cat breeding is a racket, and I have reported it myself many times - (including to VAT and OPM) but nothing has changed. Let's hope it does now....
Mario Tabone-Vassallo
Jul 5th 2012, 11:50
It-tigri le?
stefania soler
Jul 5th 2012, 11:40
"Regulations on dog breeding stipulate that those who breed more than four litters a year require a special licence" Four litters a year or more? It sounds like puppy mills to me. Imagine what these poor dogs/cats have to go through! I wonder what happens to pups and kittens that are not sold.
Deo Catania
Jul 5th 2012, 10:40
€40 won't even get you a common Chihuahua dog let alone a monkey.
If this becomes reality "“Once the regulations are out, it will be against the law to sell pets online.
“The sale of pets may only be allowed from pet shops or licensed breeders,” the spokesman explained." then stray annimals will increase. Anyway, this is Malta, can't expect much better.
Francis Sammut
Jul 5th 2012, 10:21
'An additional licence (besides the one from the veterinary) would be required in the case of exotic animals.' And this I take it includes tigers kept on the roof? It happened some time ago when a man got the fright of his life when he went on his roof (as he usually do) to get a bit of fresh air. He got it alright. Poor sod, he nearly had a heart attack!
victor caruana
Jul 5th 2012, 09:25
Animal Welfare my foot! I had to pay €35 to SPCA to have my cat put to sleep. They would not have done it if I had not paid up.
I have given home to 8 stray cats and 1 dog. I paid for their health requirements through my nose. I gave donations and contributed to charity shops which cater for animals. I never minded paying for the health services for my animals. But to pay in order put my cat to sleep at the subsidised SPCA....that was too much.
Animal Welfare my foot....It is another money making machine....bye, bye animals.....
B. Jones
Jul 5th 2012, 15:08
Dear Mr. Caruana,
You cannot seriously expect the SPCA to give you this service free of charge!
All you have possibly paid for was the price of the injection - the actual medication - to put your cat asleep plus a little extra for the vet.
Believe me that you pay way more at a private vet for this kind of service and no charity organisation on this island is offering this service for free to private individuals. If that was the case then nobody would go to a normal vet clinic anymore.
As for the SPCA being "another money making machine" - you must be absolutely kidding. Please get your facts right before posting such comments online.
Franco Farrugia
Jul 5th 2012, 16:58
Mr Caruana, please don't be angry at SPCA. They are probably doing their best within the limitations that they have.
The very good work that you say you do has nothing to do with it! SPCA won't know the difference between you and anyone else going in to have his or her pet put to sleep.
35 euros is probably the fee that covers the injection for putting your pet to sleep. You cannot expect SPCA to foot the bill themselves.
I also suppose that they were also responsible to see to the remains of your beloved pet.
I would have personally paid five times the amount to put my pet to sleep in a humane manner, without being angry enough and without resorting to comment in this manner.
Please choose the reason of your report below: