Filenews 15 July 2023
The unscrupulousness of some dog owners, who do not even have the sensitivity to seek shelter for their animals and abandon them in remote areas in order not to be noticed, has exceeded all limits.
A few days ago, a woman who was on a deserted beach near the chapel of Panagia in Xylofagou, spotted 10 impoverished stray dogs, left without water and food.
The woman, through posts on social media, mobilized volunteers from animal welfare organizations, which also informed the Veterinary Services. Volunteers managed to save seven of the dogs, one of which suffered heat stroke and was taken to a veterinarian.
The rest ended up in private shelters. One of them is Merlin's Haven, by British Lynn Morris, who told "F" that animal welfare organizations that report animal abandonment do not have sufficient help from local authorities and police. "We don't have help in such cases. The volunteers rescued some of the dogs found, which do not have microchips. Now in the shelter we have five dogs from Xylofagou, however there are many in the free area of Famagusta who give up their animals. The government needs to check if animals are microchipped, and find a way to force their owners to put them in."
Before animal welfare organizations, however, there are complaints that some of the dogs may be left in this area by workers of the Community Council of Xylofagou, which does not maintain a shelter for stray dogs, as required by law. Declaring ignorance about the case of abandonment of ten dogs on a deserted beach, the president of the community of Xylofagou, Georgios Tassos, categorically denied that employees of the Community Council abandon dogs in the area. "We have now been informed of this case. Unfortunately, some unscrupulous people leave dogs and cats there. When it comes to our attention that there are strays, we take them and try to find shelter to take them."
Asked why the procedures for the creation of a shelter for stray dogs were not initiated, as required by law, he said that "unfortunately, there is no suitable place in Xylofagou". He also suggested that the state should create regional shelters for stray animals in order to limit the problem.
For their part, the Veterinary Services said that it is the obligation of communities to maintain shelters for stray dogs and that the competent authority for their control is the District Administration. It is noted that the Police have also been informed about the case.
