in-cyprus 8 February 2025
Parliament is expected to vote on amendments to the Dog Law within two months, focusing primarily on regulations regarding dog euthanasia, the Commissioner for the Environment and Animal Welfare’s office said.
The announcement follows a meeting between the Commissioner, the Cyprus Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (CSPCA), and representatives from the Ministries of Interior and Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment.
Stakeholders have nearly completed submitting their views on the revised legislation, which includes measures for mandatory dog identification, ownership certification, enhanced stray animal sterilisation programmes, and strategies to prevent dog abandonment.
The reforms include upgrading the Veterinary Services’ electronic database and linking separate databases maintained by the Agriculture Ministry’s Veterinary Services and the Interior Ministry’s Game and Fauna Service.
Progress was assessed on animal protection and welfare issues previously discussed at meetings, including those held with the Deputy Minister to the President and CSPCA in July 2023, and at an inter-ministerial meeting in June 2024.
The Commissioner’s office said it continues to explore ways to improve companion animal protection legislation implementation and is working to support local authorities in accelerating the establishment of regional facilities for temporary stray dog housing.
