Animal Cruelty in Cyprus

Sign the petition to help put an end to Animal Cruelty in Cyprus.

Thousands of cats and dogs have died in Cyprus as a result of premeditated poisoning.

The deadly substance 'Lannate' which is freely available in Cyprus, has been responsible for the deaths of thousands of domestic pets and wild animals over the years. Most animals that lick or eat food tainted with the drug die an agonizing death which can last from a few minutes up to five hours. The good news is that the deadly Lannate poison will cease to be sold in Cyprus from early next year. EU lawmakers have decided that Lannate must be taken off shop shelves by March 2009.

This is a huge step in ending animal cruelty in Cyprus. But it doesn't end there. There are other poisons readily available that have proven deadly towards the dogs and cats of Cyprus. CSPCA president Toula Poyiadji said: "It's a shocking incident, but dogs and cats are poisoned on a daily basis."

Unless the Cypriot authorities take extreme measures in enforcing the laws pertaining to animal cruelty, these barbaric acts will continue.

A Cypriot student, by the name of Panayiotis Kyriakou, directed a sadistic film of himself throwing a pan of boiling oil over a dog.  He recorded his horrific act, while laughing hysterically, and proudly put his video on YouTube for all to see. Until now, no charges have been made against him. It is unbelievable and unheard of that animals have to suffer in silence because the Cypriot authorities are not enforcing these laws. You may view the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_avyVTv-Cw

The latest act of cruelty took place in Achna, on the south-east coast of Cyprus. The culprit or culprits forced firecrackers into a cat's ears and rectum and lit the fuse. The body of the cat was discovered in the Achna Forest by a forestry worker several days after the incident. There have been many other similar cases of animal cruelty over the years.

Sadly, it is uncommon for dogs to be kept as household pets. However, it is common to see dogs kept outside in poor conditions. Many dogs that are being used for hunting are confined in small cages with very little room to move. They survive on scraps of bread and very little water. There have also been numerous reports of dogs being shot towards the end of the hunting season.

Another major problem is the over population of stray cats and dogs. The Cyprus government are not doing much to control the problem, as the number of strays seem to be ever increasing. Sadly, most stray dogs and cats have nowhere to go; and no willing members of the public to adopt them, so they must be put down, either by local authorities, the Veterinary Services or animal welfare organisations. There is also the fact that many concerned members of the public bring stray animals to the shelters thinking they would now be safe, when in fact, they are more than likely going to be put down.

We need to do everything in our power to protect the animals against all forms of abuse and torture. We need to start educating the public and raising awareness. Action must be taken.

This is a plea to the European Parliament to ensure that the Cypriot Authorities begin to enforce and execute the laws on animal abuse in Cyprus.