Filenews 13 January 2025 - by Angelos Nicolaou
Animal welfare and the actions that ensure it are a priority for the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment. The aim is to create an integrated framework for the protection and improvement of the quality of life of animals. Despite the initiatives taken, the challenges remain significant, most notably the management of the large number of stray dogs and cats. To this end, the existing legislation should be reviewed and the competent authorities should ensure that they apply it accurately and without discounts.
Of course, the most important thing is for citizens to be sensitized and adopt attitudes appropriate to a European state that cares seriously about the welfare of its animals. After all, as the great Mahatma Gandhi said, the culture of a people is shown by how it treats animals.
The big challenge of stray animal management – The responsibility of citizens
The large number of stray dogs and cats in Cyprus is the biggest challenge for the authorities and animal welfare organizations. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the uncontrolled increase of stray animals is associated with incidents of abandonment and neglect, while the way they are managed by the Local Government Authorities is unsatisfactory and causes serious problems.
The "Dogs Law" assigns the responsibility for stray animal management to the Local Government Authorities, which have the obligation to implement measures such as the collection and temporary accommodation of dogs. However, the implementation of the law faces serious difficulties due to lack of resources, infrastructure and qualified personnel, but also due to indifference.
The Ministry of Agriculture, in an effort to improve the situation, has extended the validity of the Aid Plan for Local Government Authorities for the creation of regional shelters, with an available budget of €1.5 million.
This fund is an attempt to support the creation of a total of six regional shelters by local authorities which have the competence and obligation to create shelters, providing an additional incentive to the management of stray dogs.
In addition, in order to facilitate the capture of stray dogs, the Ministry of Agriculture proceeded to the preparation of a special protocol, which it forwarded with a proposal for its implementation to the Local Government Authorities. The protocol includes suggestions for the necessary available equipment, the knowledge of the personnel handling the dogs and the capture operations. If this protocol is properly implemented, the situation will improve significantly.
However, under no circumstances should the individual responsibility of each owner of a dog or cat or other animal be overlooked, who must take all necessary actions to safeguard the welfare of the animal and apply the provisions of the Legislation. Individual responsibility is the key to addressing the problem holistically.
Legislative amendments and improvements necessary
Recognizing the absence of legislation that truly ensures animal welfare, the Ministry of Agriculture proceeded in 2022 with the submission of an amending bill which includes substantial changes aimed at clarifying responsibilities and more efficient implementation of the legislation.
The main provisions of the new legislation are:
◗ Lowering the age of marking dogs: The marking obligation will start from two months of age to prevent puppies from being abandoned.
◗ Differentiation of holding fees: The introduction of different fees for neutered and unneutered dogs aims to encourage neutering.
◗ Mandatory data on dog equipment: Having a license number and owner's phone number on the collar makes it easier to locate in case of loss or abandonment.
◗ Stray dog capture protocol: Detailed instructions are set for the equipment and training of the personnel undertaking the capture.
◗ Introduction of out-of-court regulations: The possibility of immediate imposition of fines is expected to act as a deterrent for violations of the law.
The above changes have been consulted with stakeholders, enhancing the participation of society in shaping a more effective framework.
What remains, of course, is that there will be no more endless discussions in the Environment Committee of the House of Representatives and that the bill will be brought to the plenary for a vote.
Other initiatives to ensure animal welfare
Intervention in schools
Apart from legislative activity, the Ministry has implemented other actions. The stray cat sterilization program, with an annual budget of €100,000, is further strengthened to cover a larger number of animals, in collaboration with the Cyprus Veterinary Association. At the same time, the creation of feeding and drinking areas for stray cats by the Local Government Authorities has been launched, with the aim of improving their living conditions.
In addition, the Ministry provides financial support of €140,000 to animal welfare organizations, while it implements awareness programs in schools on the importance of animal protection. Intervention in schools is important, since this is where citizens' awareness begins. That is why perhaps the two co-competent ministries should coordinate for additional actions.
Individual responsibility and social conscience
Legislation alone is not enough to solve animal welfare issues. Crucial is the individual responsibility of each animal owner, who must observe basic rules of care. Marking, sterilisation, proper living in a clean environment and prevention of abandonment are key measures that can make a substantial contribution to improving the situation.
Cooperation between the State, local authorities, animal welfare organizations and citizens is necessary to ensure animal welfare. Raising public awareness and fostering a culture of responsible animal ownership are key factors in achieving this goal.
