Cyprus-Forum.com

[Alex L]

Continuing my search for the answers to the question of life (in Cyprus)...

Next up: my wife is worried about the reports of domestic animals being posioned, seemingly as the result of some kind of national pastime. We have a dog, and she has always had dogs, but not the kind that are allowed to roam free, not outside the garden area anyway. Having said that, they do get walked, and are therefore off the lead some of the time.

My question is (particularly for any dog owners in Cyprus) what are the life chances of any dogs we might have out there, and how big a problem is the poisoning menace? Are there any other problems for dogs we should know about? (My Greek Cypriot relatives have always recoiled in horror at the mere thought of a domestic dog)

Many thanks.

[devil]

It's impossible to answer your questions. Obviously, there is not Lannate(R)-laced bait at every street corner and you can never tell where the next one is (as likely as not, even in your garden if your dog barks all the time or deposits on the pavement outside your neighbour's). IOW it can be anywhere, country or town. However, the problem may be moret severe in the outskirts of the towns.

Our dog gets most of his exercise running like fury in the garden, but his walks are always on a lead and, even then, I'm vigilant.

I've no statistics on dogs' or cats' deaths on the island, but there are regular complaints in the papers from people who have lost their animal, so it is not an infrequent happening. Probably as bad news travels faster than good news, less than 1% of animals suffer, but that's still far too many.

[Alex L]

Thanks devil, there's nothing like the impossible answer for bringing out the best replies . Interesting to hear what you say about walking your dog. As ours is a greyhound (silent and with fairly good toilet habits), I guess it is less of a nuisance, except when it is chasing someone else's dog or stealing my slippers .

It sounds as if you're saying that most poisonings occur when animals are perceived to be a nuisance in some way, would you agree with that (as far as it is possible to answer that question)?

[annecollings]

I agree you have to be vigilant. I do walk my dogs off the lead, places like round Kalavasos Dam, Governors Beach (not actually a beach but a beautiful walk along white rocks). I always watch them and make sure they don't eat anything (even grass which could have an unseen poison/ weed killer on it). My dogs have survived 7 and 8 yrs unharmed, but I am careful not to upset or offend anyone. I am lucky now that I live in the middle of the fields with no neighbours as such. But farmers put poison in water and various places for rats and snakes. November last year our 10 yr old Jack Russell (notorious for hunting / ratting etc) was accidentally and devastatingly poisoned next door where they are growing various trees. We believe she was hunting a lizard and got some poison on her nose/paw... It was absolutely awful to see your beloved dog die in such horrorful pain. I keep injections at home because I live far away from town/vets but did not realise it was poison until too late. Saturday afternoon did not help as I could not find a vet in time and had to travel 1 hr to the other side of Limassol. "Tess" was 10 years old and so full of character and life, We will never forget her.

[Alex L]

So sorry to hear that, what a terrible way to lose a pet.

Thanks for giving me the benefit of your opinion, it all helps in building up a picture of what may lie ahead.

[yanimax]

Pets and Poison.
For years and years and years I have been reading articles and complaints about pets being poisoned. Nothing changes ...... no pet is really safe in Cyprus. I have lost many dogs and innumerable cats over the twenty odd years I have used Cyprus as a home base ... and although I take every precaution I live in dread knowing that it will happen again.
I don't let my dog wander or be a nuisance but the island pet phobia is deep and I find little gifts (tasty bones stuffed with poison) conveniently dropped off over my garden wall or on wasteland where he 'exercises". And it's not people who have been 'offended' or 'annoyed' .......nor is it retricted to suburban areas, as one writer suggested.
My present dog has been poisoned three times....... first in the town, then twice more (this year) in the countryside. He is lucky to have survived but I have no doubt his life-span will have been shortened. I always keep antidotes on hand.
You might wonder why I keep pets with all the stress and worry. I love animals................ I only wish some humans were as deserving!

[Alex L]

Thanks for your post yanimax. I find this really unbelievable, and a real disgrace to the Cypriot people. From what you are describing, it would seem that there are some real nutters around if they are prepared to go to those lengths to inflict suffering on animals entirely gratuitously - not even with the admittedly pathetic excuse of sport or pest control that often surfaces to justify cruelty.

Is there no organised opposition to this on the island?

[andytandreou]

Is there no organised opposition to this on the island?

The only thing i have to say (as a Cypriot) is that the situation is getting better. There any many people who have pets in Cyprus and many people who love animals. However there are parts of the population with exreamly low levels of education and civility, for example villagers. Allthough they are a dying breed you can expect them to act in the most irrational ways to the simplest of problems (e.g. a barking dog). I have a dog too, a beagle and I knew from day-one that my neighbours musn't hear him bark, or i would have trouble even though i live in a city. If having a dog inside a house is a problem for you then keep him in a dog-house locked-up and unable to walk freely during the night. If you don't do this then you are asking for trouble! A barking dog in any country is a bad idea but in Cyprus the police will not really "bother" with complaints about barking dogs (or do very little) so the poisoning aspect of the problem is a multi-sided isuue which involves everyone from dog-owner to the police.