In a letter, the Veterinary Services make it clear that the shielding of livestock against foot-and-mouth disease with vaccination is now mandatory, threatening strict penalties for those who do not comply.
Addressing agricultural organizations and groups of livestock breeders, the Veterinary Services invoke Article 9 of the Animal Health Laws, noting that the immediate implementation of vaccination in cattle, pigs and sheep and goats is imperative.
The Veterinary Services clearly warn that those farmers who refuse to vaccinate their animals will lose any right to any form of compensation in case their farm tests positive for the virus. At the same time, it is recalled that when a danger to public or animal health is imminent, the authorities have the right to impose the killing and destruction of animals.
Failure to comply with the instructions or deliberately obstruct the work of official veterinarians and inspectors is a criminal offence. Offenders face:
Imprisonment of up to six months or a fine of up to €3,417 or both sentences together.
The director of the Veterinary Services may impose an administrative fine of up to €5,000 for each violation.
In the letter signed by the director of the Veterinary Services, Christodoulos Pipis, it is stated that the necessary doses of vaccines have already been secured and are available to livestock farmers.
Based on the procedure, livestock farmers are invited to immediately submit a relevant application through the registered private veterinarians who monitor their units, in order to receive the vaccines and immunologically cover their animals based on the current vaccination plan.
The authorities appeal for good cooperation with the livestock world, stressing that the aim of the measures is to ensure the health level of the animals of Cyprus and, by extension, to support the national economy.
