Updated 6.10pm
Pigs discovered at a Mellieħa farm - thought to have been abandoned - will not be confiscated by the authorities after all, the environment ministry has said, contradicting an earlier statement by the police.
A ministry spokesman said the pigs’ owner would be given time to regularise his position. By law, only two pigs can be kept as pets. However, the law offers a grace period which expires on September 5 this year.
“Should the owner decide to rehome the pigs, the Veterinary Regulation Directorate remains committed to processing any permitting requirements expediently,” the spokesman added.
The pigs’ owner is understood to be willing to give the remaining pigs up for adoption.
A representative of NGO Animal Liberation Malta, who first brought the case to public attention, said that anyone interested in adopting a pig can contact the Veterinary Regulation Directorate for more information.
Police had told Times of Malta on Sunday that as the owner was keeping more pigs than allowed by law, the remaining animals would be confiscated by the directorate.
The police spokeswoman said the farm had been investigated by district police and veterinary officers, who found the pot-bellied pigs were in good health and being kept as pets with the necessary shelter.
The situation was first highlighted last week by Animal Liberation Malta, which said the pigs had been found starving and dehydrated. The group said that as the pigs were not tagged, they would be destined for slaughter.
Volunteers visited the farm on Thursday with food and water, and wrote to animal welfare parliamentary secretary Clint Camilleri calling for the pigs to be transferred to a petting farm or public area such as Ta’ Qali or Marsascala.
However, Veterinary Regulation Directorate officials said the pigs were in good health and did not show any sign of transmissible disease.
Inspectors found they had access to feed and water and were sufficiently fed, with none showing discomfort. Although none of the pigs were microchipped, in breach of the law, officials said the owner had immediately rectified the situation and that no further action would be taken.
The site where the pigs were kept consisted of a sheltered area made up of three rooms and an uncovered outer area. An automatic drinker was found in one of the rooms and no excess of manure was present.
Animal Guardians have contested that assessment and insisted that the pigs were abandoned when volunteers first saw them and only cared for after the case was made public and reported.