Four Cases of Animal Cruelty Reported in Cyprus in January

Reports of animal cruelty in Cyprus are on the rise, with four serious cases recorded in January alone. These incidents resulted in injuries to some animals, while others tragically lost their lives.

The Commissioner for Environment and Animal Welfare, Antonia Theodosiou, revealed that the cases included dog killings, animals being confined in a reservoir, the mistreatment of dogs, and poisonings.

The first incident occurred in early January in Paphos, where a local resident discovered two of his dogs dead. Further investigation revealed that the dogs had been shot. The suspect, who has since been arrested, claimed that the dogs were disturbing birds he was raising.

In another incident, two stray dogs were found trapped in a pond filled with wastewater in Deftera. Firefighters managed to rescue them, but shotgun shells were discovered around the pond, and several dead animals and birds were found in the water.

In a particularly disturbing case in Kissonerga-Peyia, a dog was found in critical condition, wrapped in a plastic bag, and discarded in a trash bin. The dog was rushed to a veterinary hospital for emergency treatment. A subsequent police investigation led to the arrest of two individuals.

Additionally, a report from British bases highlighted four cases of fox and stray dog poisonings in the Akrotiri and Episkopi areas over the past three months.

The Commissioner urged residents to report any cases of animal cruelty by providing documented evidence and contacting the appropriate authorities.