The Movement of Ecologists – Citizens' Cooperation expresses its strong opposition to any thought or proposal for the killing of stray dogs in the Paphos Forest, calling on the State to proceed with responsible and holistic management of the problem.
In a statement, the Movement states that the protection of the Cypriot mouflon and wildlife is everyone's obligation, noting, however, that the solution "cannot be the extermination of animals", which are themselves victims of abandonment and human irresponsibility. They add that killing does not address the cause of the problem, but shifts the blame from those who abandon animals to the animals themselves.
The coordinator of the Movement's Animal Action Group, Anthi Mouzouri, states that "a modern society cannot accept the killing of defenseless animals as a solution". The Movement suggests, among other things, collection by specialized personnel, transfer to appropriate shelters, strengthening sterilization and labelling programs and strict penalties for those who abandon animals, noting that it will closely monitor developments.
