Health Minister Chris Fearne has confirmed, during an answer to a parliamentary question on Tuesday, that someone was admitted to hospital to be treated for an exotic animal bite.

Questioned by Nationalist Party MP Mario Galea, Fearne confirmed the case and also confirmed that the individual was only suffering from minor injuries.

Throughout the recent months, Galea was and still is very vocal about regulating zoos in Malta and calling for them to be banned. He also put Animal Rights Minister Anton Refalo in the limelight in order to push for new regulations making neutering, chipping and 24 hour surveillance mandatory for exotic animals. The new regulations however, have received severe backlash from various zoo keepers around Malta and since then the regulations have dropped. Galea called for the regulations to be enforced stating that "this is a stark reminder of what could happen."

Galea then continued to question how such exotic animals "on the brink of extinction" are allowed to roam around in Malta. Further questions also shed light on the importation of such animals since cases of large exotic animals have been found in residential homes.