The Animal Rights Secretariat is denying police claims that a go-ahead is needed before law enforcement authorities can summon Charles Polidano, known as iċ-Ċaqnu, to face charges over animal abuse at Montekristo’s unlicensed zoo.
Last April, the veterinary services department, which falls under the Animal Rights Parliamentary Secretariat led by Roderick Galdes, wrote to the Police Commissioner asking him to take action against the owner of Montekristo Estates, which includes the unlicensed zoo.
No action has been taken by the police despite the request for summons having been made nine months ago.
Two weeks ago, the police told this newspaper they were still waiting for the decision of the government’s veterinary services department “to be able to take all action called for from them”.
Yet, the secretariat said it had already informed the police it had no intention of dropping any of the charges made against Mr Polidano, operator of Montekristo Animal Park, well before this newspaper had approached the police for an update of the situation.
The breaches relate to the keeping of wild animals in an establishment that is not approved as a zoo and exhibiting them to the public. The letter also refers to the inadequate conditions in which exotic animals are being kept.
Following the report in The Sunday Times of Malta, Polidano Group said it is abiding by instructions from the Malta Environment and Planning Authority and animal welfare officials to make changes on the keeping of animals in the zoo.
The company said it has started paying the fines imposed by the authorities.
Animals were not being kept in the right conditions and they should answer for that
Yet, as far as the animal rights secretariat is concerned, this has nothing to do with their request to summon the owner of Montekristo animal park made last April.
The secretariat told The Sunday Times of Malta: “By default, if a department institutes criminal charges against an entity the police has to initiate proceedings.”
A spokesman from the secretariat compared it to a car parking fine:
“If you get a fine for parking where you shouldn’t, you still have to face the fine regardless of whether you drive off. The illegality has been committed. So even if Polidano Brothers fix the situation at Montekristo animal park, the fact remains that animals were not being kept in the right conditions and they should answer for that”.
Asked what instructions the secretariat had given to Polidano Group, the secretariat replied that instructions were given to adequately house animals, the prohibition of shifting resident animals within the park without prior permission and an embargo on the admission of more animals into the park.
Yet, Montekristo Estates has added more exotic animals to the display despite the warning letters from the authorities. Last October, the unlicensed zoo was promoting weekly displays of two new tiger cubs and one new puma.
The secretariat also confirmed Polidano Brothers have not submitted an application with Mepa for the animal park to get a zoo licence.
The zoo already hosts over 60 different species that benefit from international protection under Cites, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, according to Mepa.