Cyprus’ Animal Party will be staging a demonstration on Saturday at 11am outside parliament – currently dissolved pending the May 24 elections – to protest recent amendments to the law on dogs which the party said met demands put forward by hunters’ associations.
It also condemned the “criminal indifference” of local authorities and the parliament for placing political party interests above the interests of the country.
“It took ten years of discussions at the House environment committee with all involved services to reach the necessary amendments to the law on dogs, binding for dog owners,” the Animal Party said.
These amendments, it added, set out clear obligations for ownership and breeding, with the aim of combatting dog dumping.
Currently, it added, over thousands of dogs are abandoned every year and fewer than 15,000 are adopted, end up in shelters or sent abroad.
“The rest die of hunger, are shot or poisoned. This is a huge crime against the animals and public health and safety, the economy, tourism, society and civilisation among others,” it said.
The Animal Party pointed out that the 2002 law on dogs had not been implemented by local authorities. “The indifference of the local authorities and the state is criminal. The local authorities are behaving as if they are a separate state on the territory of the Republic of Cyprus,” it added.
Referring to recent amendments, the Animal Party said they were made on the basis of “party interests and not the interests of Cyprus”.
“The situation will remain out of hand,” it warned.
The Animal Party called on all those who love animals and Cyprus, and are against any kind of abuse against animals and their abandonment, to join the protest along with their dogs and placards.
“Our voice must be heard, not only in Cyprus but abroad as well,” it added.
