Filenews 18 January 2025
A person was arrested by the Animal Police pursuant to a warrant for the detection of a dog in a trash can, in Peyia.
The dog is being treated at a veterinary clinic and is in a bad condition, said Nicoletta Tyrimou, spokeswoman for the Crime Prevention Bureau of the Animal Police Headquarters. She said reasonable suspicion arose against the dog's owner and an arrest warrant was issued.
According to Mrs. Tyrimou, the dog was taken to a veterinary clinic, but is reportedly in bad condition.
A woman resident of Cyprus had made an official complaint to the veterinary services and the Paphos Crime Detection Department for a case of dog mistreatment, which she accidentally found in a trash bin after hearing its barks.
The Mayor of Pegeia, Marinos Lambrou, and the Commissioner for Environment and Animal Welfare, Antoniou Theodosiou, were informed about the incident, which happened on Thursday evening, by the president of the animal welfare organization Simba Animal Aid, Natasa Michaelidou, who was immediately informed of the tragic incident by the woman who had located the dog.
Commissioner for Environment and Animal Welfare Antonia Theodosiou said everyone should take care of their dog like their child. He described the incident as tragic and called for the case to be clarified as soon as possible and for responsibilities to be attributed in accordance with the relevant legislation.
He added that the management of dogs, especially abandoned dogs, must be comprehensive and requires the alertness and cooperation of many people.
The president of the animal welfare organization Simba Animal Aid, Natasa Michaelidou, in the letter she sent to the Commissioner for the Environment and the Mayor of Akamas, Marinos Lambrou, informed them and asked for their personal intervention to investigate the complaint.
According to the history of the case, late yesterday afternoon Ms. Michaelidou was informed by a member of an animal welfare organization that while returning to her home in Peyia she heard barking coming from a nearby garbage bin.
Because she realized that a dog was trapped in the bin, she immediately alerted other members of the animal welfare organization of which she is a member so that they could release the animal. Inside the bin they found the sealed bag from which the dog's cries came.
As soon as they managed to open the bags, says Mrs. Michaelidou, "they were horrified to discover that the animal was enclosed in three bags sealed with glue! In addition, because the dog was large enough to be able to close it in the bag, the perpetrator turned his head." The unfortunate dog was immediately transferred to an animal clinic in Paphos where he is being treated until this moment. He noted that the dog, aged 10, was found malnourished and suffered a stroke, apparently from shock. The dog had a microchip, through which the police were led to its owner.
Akamas Mayor Marinos Lambrou described the incident as inhumane, adding that penalties should be increased for cases of animal abuse.
CNA
