in-cyprus 25 February 2020 -Edited by Bouli Hadjioannou
The veterinary services are launching a €75,000 neutering programme for stray cats for 2020 which will be implemented by the district animal welfare committees.
This is the fourth consecutive year that the measure is being implemented. In the past three years, a total of 4300 stray cats have been neutered, it added.
But Animal Party Cyprus said the money is inadequate to deal with the growing population of stray cats. It said that animal welfare groups wanted the grant doubled and the neutering programme run twice and not once a year.
According to the vet service’s announcements, municipal and local councils as well as registered animal welfare organisations are invited to complete the required application by March 31 and submit it to the vet office of their district, expressing their intention to participate in the programme.
Individuals and non-registered groups that work as volunteers caring for animals can only participate through local authorities or registered animal welfare organisations. The list of participants will be posted on the website of the veterinary services.
The vet services also invited all registered private vets who wish to take part to express an interest in participating. They said that only vets with suitably equipped clinics are eligible. It said that suitably equipped clinics were those that could deal with the surgery but also post-surgical care of the cats until they can be returned to the place where they were found.
The aim is to share the number of procedures equally among all veterinary clinics irrespective of how many vets work there. Those vets who do not have a clinic must submit the name of a clinic with which they will be cooperating, together with the written consent of the clinic. Expressions of interest must be submitted by March 29 to the district vet office.
The necessary documentation can be found on the website of the veterinary services.
