Earlier this week, the nation was shocked by the news of a person who entered a St Julian’s farm and sexually molested sheep. Since the incident, the Association for Abandoned Animals has issued a statement on the situation, calling for the need to revise Maltese animal laws.

“The sheep were so traumatised that they were only cowering in corners and even scared of their owner. And what is even more shocking, is that this terrible incident brought to light the absolute lack of anti-bestiality laws in Malta,” they shared in a post on Facebook.

“There is not one single direct provision that criminalises bestiality. Animal cruelty is prohibited by the Animal Welfare Act but once again no specific reference to bestiality. Our laws need to change, bestiality needs to be criminalised. A sexual act with an animal is an automatic rape, a violent act on another species and as well a health risk to society in general,” AAA continues.

“Let's change our laws. Let's not victimise animals further with human sexual perversion,” they say, calling for the revision. Locals who took to the comments section were baffled to learn that such laws do not exist with some expressing furiousness and describing the incident as “sickening.”