Filenews 19 February 2022 - by Vassos Vassiliou
For the eyes of the world and especially animal lovers, the regulations concerning hotels, shelters and other premises for the temporary keeping of animals were approved in 2019, as evidenced by the fact that while the affected persons did not comply, they are rewarded with an extension of the operation of their premises for another four years.
In a relevant text submitted by the Government to Parliament, it is mentioned that during the transitional period given for compliance with the regulations and which expired, it has been found that most of the affected premises present significant deficiencies, which concern construction and mainly urban planning issues.
According to the same text, several of the premises for the temporary guarding of dogs, dog farms and dog/cat hotels that exist today all over Cyprus, do not have planning permission and building permit.
In the text it is added that taking into account the above, the proposed Draft Regulations was prepared which aims at extending the transitional provision of the Regulations (P.I. 359/2019) so that the existing premises can continue their operation until 48 months from the entry into force of the basic Regulations (until 15/11/2023). The proposed additional extension will apply only in the case where the only shortage of these premises is the securing of planning permission and building permit.
After that date, no such premises may operate unless it fully complies with the provisions of the basic regulations.
It is recalled that the Protection and Welfare of Animals (Protection of Dogs and Cats in Farms, Hotels, Shelters and Temporary Storage Premises) Regulations of K.D.P. 359/2019, entered into force upon their publication in the Official Gazette of the Republic on 15/11/2019.
According to these Regulations, all affected premises (Farms, Hotels, Shelters and Premises for the Temporary Keeping of Stray Animals) could continue their operation up to 18 months from the entry into force of the Regulations. That is, after 15/05/2021, no such premises were allowed to operate, unless it complied with the provisions of the Regulations and provided that it had obtained a license from the Veterinary Services.
