A man was given a six-month conditional discharge after being found guilty of keeping a cat trap in his premises.

Albino Borg, 63, of Lija was investigated by the Animal Welfare Department in collaboration with the police after reports that cats, which often happened to be pets and not strays, were vanishing from Lija.

A cat trap was seized from his residence in Conception Street, Lija in April last year.

A rabbit’s head was hanging inside the trap, held by a steel wire, to attract cats. An amount of cat fur was found in the wooden box, indicating that it had been used and the cats in it had been in distress.

The box also stank of cat urine, another indication the cats had been in distress.

Emanuel Buhagiar represented the Animal Welfare Directorate while police Inspector Elton Taliana prosecuted.