There has been no change in policy regarding allowing animals on deck, Virtu Ferries Managing Director Henri Saliba told The Malta Independent.

Earlier this year, a dog died from neurological damage due to high temperatures, after having been kept in a car during the ferry journey.“The client never declared the dog, and smuggled it on-board,” Mr Saliba said. “As far as we knew, that passenger did not have a dog on board”. He explained that the policy is correct and in line with EU regulations and again stressed that the crew were not informed that the passenger had a pet on-board in the first place. 

Mr Saliba had told sections of the press that the dog should not have been left in a car, but rather should have been declared and kept in a cage on the garage deck, stating that the case was not due to company policy but rather due to negligence by the owner. He had said that dogs who were on board on the way back from Pozzallo had been declared and arrived safely.

According to the frequently asked questions section on the Virtu Ferries website, “one may travel with pets on board the ferry. Passengers must declare pets at booking stage and ensure that pets have a valid pet passport together with all the necessary vaccinations. Pets must be kept inside the car or in a cage inside the garage of the vessel. Cages to be provided by pet owners. Pets not travelling in cars and without a cage will be refused boarding. Pets are not allowed in the passenger salons. At the discretion of the Master, passengers may be allowed to visit their pets during the voyage accompanied by a crew member. The owner is to ensure the pet is fit for travel also keeping in mind the possibility of rough sea conditions”. 

This newsroom called Mr Saliba following the response by Environment Minister Leo Brincat to a parliamentary question(PQ) posed by MP Mario Galea.

In response to the PQ, the minister explained that a few weeks back, the dog’s owner informed the Animal Welfare that his dog was found struggling, suffering and in critical condition when the owner went to pick him up from the garage in the Catamaran during the voyage from Malta to Sicily.

He said that according to a veterinarian who examined the dog, it died from neurological damage caused by high temperatures (hyperthermia).

An online petition asking Virtu Ferries to change their policy about pets on board saw 3,500 people sign.  They asked to either have a designated area on deck for pets and their owners, or allow pets to be on deck.