Cyprus Mail - article by Evie Andreou 4 December 2018
The agriculture ministry has released a series of short videos, starring Kleija, a rescue dog, to raise awareness on animal abuse and the importance of neutering and spaying.
In the short videos, popular Cypriot actors talk of pet abandonment, dog abuse and the importance of neutering and spaying. The videos, currently available online, will be aired on television within the month, the agriculture ministry said.
Actor Fotis Georgides, urges viewers not to introduce a dog in their lives if they think they can get rid of it whenever they want. “Pets don’t come with (shop) return cards,” he said.
In another video clip, Antonis Katsaris, Zoe Kyprianou, and Sotos Stavrakis, explain that keeping a dog on a balcony, roof, locked up in a cage, tied to a chain and without human companionship is an abuse.
Marileni Stavrou explains the importance of neutering and spaying of pets, by arguing that female dogs and their offspring may produce up to 512 puppies in three years. “Do you know 512 people who can adopt a puppy?” she asked, adding that shelters in Cyprus have more dogs they can care for.
The star of the videos is Kleija, a rescue dog that was adopted from a shelter.
The video clips can be found at www.petswelfarecy.com, a website launched by the agriculture ministry to provide advice to members of the public on how to care for their pet dogs and cats and what to do in cases of emergency (Greek only). To view videos, click on the three arrows under the main-page title.
