Italian police crack down on illegal animal operations in Sicily, seizing birds and charging fake veterinarian

In the town of Trabia, Italian Carabinieri from the Nucleo CITES of Palermo, together with veterinary staff from Palermo’s public health service, conducted a raid that led to the indictment of a woman accused of posing as a veterinarian. She faces charges of illegal veterinary practice, animal mistreatment, defamation and fraud. Investigators seized extensive documentation, veterinary drugs (including expired stock), certificates, and two shipping containers linked to a separate commercial dispute.

In a separate operation, the same Carabinieri unit discovered an amateur exotic bird breeding facility in deplorable conditions. More than one hundred birds—including pairs of cockatiels, parakeets, canaries, lovebirds and a rare ash‑parrot listed on CITES Appendix I—were rescued from filthy cages. The owner was charged with animal cruelty and illegal possession of protected species. The birds remain in custody pending transfer to an appropriate shelter.

Both raids illustrate a broader enforcement effort against wildlife crime and illegal veterinary activity in Sicily, carried out in coordination with health authorities and the judiciary.