Animal cruelty: can we always lay the blame at the door of Cypriots?
"All too often we come across animals that have suffered at the hands of Cypriot people. The British along with other Europeans shake our head in despair while patting our backs and feeling superior. No way would we treat animals in this way. We are animal lovers. We all work very hard to help animals in distress. We spay our animals; take them to the Veterinary when they have pain, vaccinate them. We then ask ourselves why can’t everyone behave like us. We wouldn’t need dog and cat shelters if everyone behaved responsibly. Would we?
Well have I got news for you!
Having worked in animal rescue for the past five years in Peyia/Coral Bay and being a founder member of Parc (Peyia Animal Rescue Club) I am in despair with the number of irresponsible people who come to live here, take an animal, and cause them horrendous suffering when they desert him.
A tremendous number of people are coming to live in Cyprus and then returning to the UK when things go pear shaped. They live here for a short while, believe everything is great, get themselves a dog or cat and then find out it is not easy living in Cyprus particularly if one needs to work for a living.
With all the other problems to deal with the poor animal quickly becomes bottom of the priority list when cases have to be packed. The little dog or cat that was shown lots of love when they were chosen as babies often find themselves tied up outside the refuge or just turned out on the streets to survive as best they can. Almost daily I am asked to help with cats that have been left. Yes free cats survive in Cyprus, they can hunt and the weather is usually kind. However, there is nothing more cruel than taking a free cat into a house, making him domesticated and then when he has become used to two meals a day and a warm bed, turning him out. Almost always the Brit that is leaving Cyprus will be grief stricken. I have heard all the stories."
http://www.parc-cyprus.org/#aboutParc