Cyprus-Forum.com

[beverley10]

What was not reported because it does not sell papers,is that this pet shop owner over a long time has had many warnings of cruelty to pets in her shop(selling a parrot with a broken leg) underage selling,gerbils with mange and other such happenings and she thought she was above the law! Yes the UK leaves much to be remedied with regard to stupid laws and too great a tolerance of illegal immigrants and criminals but at least it does not rip off decent hard working people of any nationality as a matter of course.

[Gasman]

I have no criticisms at all.

He was sent in to make a test purchase by council staff investigating a complaint that the shop had previously sold a gerbil to a girl with learning difficulties who put it in a cup of coffee. The rodent subsequently died.

The teenage undercover agent bought the fish in Major Pets in Sale, Greater Manchester, without being questioned or given any information about its care. An animal welfare officer also found a cockatiel in the shop that was in such distress it had to be put down.

The shop owner Joan Higgins and her son Mark yesterday pleaded guilty at Trafford magistrates court to causing unnecessary suffering to the cockatiel and selling an animal to a person under 16 who was not accompanied by an adult. Higgins was fined £1,000 and put under home curfew between 6pm and 7am for the next seven weeks because she was unfit for community work. Her son, who manages the shop, was fined £750 and ordered to carry out 120 hours of community work.

Iain Veitch, head of public protection at Trafford council, said: "The evidence presented for this conviction clearly demonstrates that it is irresponsible to sell animals to those who are not old enough to look after them. We have many responsible pet shops in the borough. However, let this conviction send out a message that we will not tolerate those who cause unnecessary suffering to animals."

If it had been a cute, fluffy animal sold to a kid who had no clue how to care for it I've no doubt they would have been praised for taking action. And I'm sure the 'goldfish' was chosen for the test purchase for a good reason but that the rule about not selling to minors applies to all the animals.

I'd like to see a bit more attention given to Animal Welfare in Cyprus.

[Cap]

And there we have it ladies and gents, the FULL story.