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Dog owner throws stones, exposes himself, after being told to put his dog on a leash
The Malta Ranger Unit explained that the man's dog had just killed a hedgehog on Manoel Island before being told to put the dog on a leash
13 October 2025, 12:53pm
Matthew Farrugia
Matthew Farrugia
1 min read
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Photos show the dog owner throwing stones and exposing himself (Photos: Malta Ranger Unit)
The Malta Ranger Unit (MRU) has flagged a case of a dog owner being aggressive towards bystanders who told him to put his large dog on a leash.
In a post on Facebook, the MRU said that it was alerted to the case when the dog killed the hedgehog, as photos show the dog walking with the small animal in its mouth. The NGO noted that hedgehogs are protected by law.
“The owner turned aggressive when told to put the dog on the leash,” the MRU said, noting that the owner even started throwing stones at bystanders.
A photo also shows the man exposing himself, as he threatened the bystanders not to call the police.
“Bystanders called us up worried mostly about the hedgehog, and we guided them how to report it via proper channels. In this way, due to the aggressive behaviour and with the hedgehog already being dead, directly to the Gżira Police station.”
The MRU appealed to the public to call Wildlife Rescue Team Malta if one encounters an injured hedgehog, as this NGO can be reached on 99999505.
The MRU thanked a police sergeant at the Gżira police station who searched for and found the dog’s owner. “The man is confirmed to now be subject to several charges. Investigations are also ongoing in regards to the animal welfare of the dog.”
Matthew Farrugia is a journalist at MaltaToday
He was the joint-winner (2025) as upcoming...