# Dogs



## JulieGg (Feb 15, 2015)

So on Saturday night in the dark we rescued a little black dog that was wandering back and forth across a fast road. Guilt played a huge part as we were worried he'd end up squashed.... He's not chipped and the rehoming centres are full, anyone need a pet?! or have suggestions what we can do with him? We already have a lovely dog and have just rehomed two kittens so any more pets is a no no. 
Thanks for suggestions.
Julie


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## hiatusxenia (May 6, 2013)

Julie, I think you should take a look at the Facebook page of Vicki Brown "Saving Cyprus Pound/Street Dogs" or similar - there are several - and contact someone. I'm sorry I can't be more specific as to names, but they are fundraising and rehoming in the UK all the time. Or Rehoming Cyprus Pointers who have loads of contacts with people all over Cyprus and will be able to put you in contact. Perhaps you could foster him until then? They will really appreciate that as they are absolutely overwhelmed and the pounds have a put to sleep policy after 14 days.


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## hiatusxenia (May 6, 2013)

Try looking up on FB: Vicki Brown Rescues (Vicky Brown), or Doris Karayianni. I've been amazed at the number of dogs they've managed to rehome.


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## David_&_Letitia (Jul 8, 2012)

JulieGg said:


> So on Saturday night in the dark we rescued a little black dog that was wandering back and forth across a fast road. Guilt played a huge part as we were worried he'd end up squashed.... He's not chipped and the rehoming centres are full, anyone need a pet?! or have suggestions what we can do with him? We already have a lovely dog and have just rehomed two kittens so any more pets is a no no.
> Thanks for suggestions.
> Julie


Stray dogs are the responsibility of the Municipality. Take him there...


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

JulieGg said:


> So on Saturday night in the dark we rescued a little black dog that was wandering back and forth across a fast road. Guilt played a huge part as we were worried he'd end up squashed.... He's not chipped and the rehoming centres are full, anyone need a pet?! or have suggestions what we can do with him? We already have a lovely dog and have just rehomed two kittens so any more pets is a no no.
> Thanks for suggestions.
> Julie


Your "find" is one of about 170 000 stray dogs and 1 million stray cats in Cyprus today according to fresh statistics. Shelters are full and lack funds. The future for all these pets its not very bright and re-homing does not solve the problem.


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## hiatusxenia (May 6, 2013)

Ofc Rehoming one doesn't solve the problem but now Julie has this one, it will surely solve the problem of this particular little creature. The Municipality has a PTS policy and he or she will be given only 14 days.


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## David_&_Letitia (Jul 8, 2012)

hiatusxenia said:


> Ofc Rehoming one doesn't solve the problem but now Julie has this one, it will surely solve the problem of this particular little creature. The Municipality has a PTS policy and he or she will be given only 14 days.


Re-homing one of 170,000 stray dogs is commendable but is a drop in the ocean and as Anders has already stated, it is not solving the problem.

The Municipality policy of euthanising stray dogs which cannot be re-homed is the kindest way to deal with the problem in my opinion.


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

David_&_Letitia said:


> Re-homing one of 170,000 stray dogs is commendable but is a drop in the ocean and as Anders has already stated, it is not solving the problem.
> 
> The Municipality policy of euthanising stray dogs which cannot be re-homed is the kindest way to deal with the problem in my opinion.


Re-homing to UK or any other country is no guarantee. Last months I have read 3 articles about abandoned dogs in the UK and Germany that has a Cyprus microchip. That was not the purpose of the re-homing I think


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## hiatusxenia (May 6, 2013)

Well over to you Julie, I think.


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

David_&_Letitia said:


> Re-homing one of 170,000 stray dogs is commendable but is a drop in the ocean and as Anders has already stated, it is not solving the problem.
> 
> The Municipality policy of euthanising stray dogs which cannot be re-homed is the kindest way to deal with the problem in my opinion.


I completely agree. This also applies to the 2 million cats.

Anyone with a *** packet can soon calculate that if all the vets on the island worked 8 hours a day neutering cats it would not solve the problem of the population increasing vastly. Thus all the well meant efforts of the animal saviours are wasted.

A cull is a tasteless concept but is a solution.

Pete


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

PeteandSylv said:


> I completely agree. This also applies to the 2 million cats.
> 
> Anyone with a *** packet can soon calculate that if all the vets on the island worked 8 hours a day neutering cats it would not solve the problem of the population increasing vastly. Thus all the well meant efforts of the animal saviours are wasted.
> 
> ...


It is ofc a harsh solution but I am afraid the only one, It has gone way to far.
This solution can be even worse if the government decide to repeat 1971-74, when 40000 out of 46000 stray dogs were put to sleep to try to stop a spread of a dangerous illness.


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## hiatusxenia (May 6, 2013)

How very hard-hearted. It may be the only logical solution for the majority but I do not think it makes the efforts of rescuers useless. Surely the few they can save proves that. One only has to look at the before and after pictures of the dogs running free in new homes in the UK and elsewhere in Europe.


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## David_&_Letitia (Jul 8, 2012)

hiatusxenia said:


> How very hard-hearted. It may be the only logical solution for the majority but I do not think it makes the efforts of rescuers useless. Surely the few they can save proves that. One only has to look at the before and after pictures of the dogs running free in new homes in the UK and elsewhere in Europe.


Nobody disputes that any dog that can be successfully re-homed is a small success in itself. I also agree that the efforts of the rescuers is commendable and the few dog sanctuaries here are doing a great job. However, these sanctuaries are full, and are not taking any more dogs in. What they have taken in already is a drop in the ocean. The numbers are truly staggering and are increasing exponentially. The Municipalities are not carrying out their duty in respect of animal welfare, for which they get EU funding. They need to be held to account.

You don't need to go very far anywhere here to find pathetic, starving, unloved, filthy dogs which cannot be re-homed. There are also too many dogs lying in the road having been hit by cars. It is heartbreaking but the solution, as hard hearted as it appears, it to cull as Pete has said. It really is the kindest thing we can do for them.


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

David_&_Letitia said:


> Nobody disputes that any dog that can be successfully re-homed is a small success in itself. I also agree that the efforts of the rescuers is commendable and the few dog sanctuaries here are doing a great job. However, these sanctuaries are full, and are not taking any more dogs in. What they have taken in already is a drop in the ocean. The numbers are truly staggering and are increasing exponentially. The Municipalities are not carrying out their duty in respect of animal welfare, for which they get EU funding. They need to be held to account.
> 
> You don't need to go very far anywhere here to find pathetic, starving, unloved, filthy dogs which cannot be re-homed. There are also too many dogs lying in the road having been hit by cars. It is heartbreaking but the solution, as hard hearted as it appears, it to cull as Pete has said. It really is the kindest thing we can do for them.


I don't really understand what the communities can do more in the case of dog welfare? Open shelters? 

I agree fully with Pete. This is all about what is best for the dogs and cats, not to make a "rescuer" feel good


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## David_&_Letitia (Jul 8, 2012)

Baywatch said:


> I don't really understand what the communities can do more in the case of dog welfare? Open shelters?


Anders,

The Municipalities are doing *nothing* at all at the moment. They need to be proactive in addressing the problem which includes employing dog wardens to round up strays which should initially be held in a suitable Municipality dog pound and provided with food and water. This could be done in conjunction with the dog charities which are desperate for both funding and facilities. If a dog is microchipped and/or has a name tag, the owner should be contacted and if necessary fined for not keeping control of the dog ie allowing it to roam in a public place. If there is no means of identification or the owner cannot be traced, and if the dog charities are unable to provide an alternative solution, then euthanising is the way to deal with them. To do nothing is not an option in my opinion.


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

I lived in Limassol in the early 1970s and vividly remember the packs of stray dogs who roamed the streets and were often very aggressive. There could be as many as 10 dogs in a pack and I had more than one very scary encounter with such packs.
The army used to go round in lorries every so often and shoot these dogs, pick them up and throw them in the backs of the lorries.
It was quite brutal but these animals were for the most flea ridden, starving, suffering from mange and heaven knows what else so probably actually the best thing all round (as long as the soldiers were good shots).


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

David_&_Letitia said:


> Anders,
> 
> The Municipalities are doing *nothing* at all at the moment. They need to be proactive in addressing the problem which includes employing dog wardens to round up strays which should initially be held in a suitable Municipality dog pound and provided with food and water. This could be done in conjunction with the dog charities which are desperate for both funding and facilities. If a dog is microchipped and/or has a name tag, the owner should be contacted and if necessary fined for not keeping control of the dog ie allowing it to roam in a public place. If there is no means of identification or the owner cannot be traced, and if the dog charities are unable to provide an alternative solution, then euthanising is the way to deal with them. To do nothing is not an option in my opinion.


The new animal law (that is not approved yet) states that the municipality should have a dog pound. But with the economical situation in todays Cyprus, and the Cyprus culture about pets, I doubt that something good will come out of that. 
It seems more to go in the wrong direction. State money for sterilization programs are gone and many of the existing pounds are horrible places.

In my opinion the shelters many times go too far. Why save dogs that come in with Leishmania or other very serious diseases. They can be treated but not cured. And for a lifelong cost. And why spend money on amputating legs on dogs that come in badly injured. Or saving blind puppies. All this is in my opinion not for the best of the dog, instead it is cruel. 

Many say that if all dogs and cats were micro-chipped the owners could be held responsible. True, but the problem is that less then 50% is chipped and only half of them is registered by the district vet. And the stray ones, born in the nature is ofc not chipped. Why not allow the vets to register at least the one that they chip in the state register. And check that the chipped dogs they meet are registered. And take away the cost for the registration.


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

Veronica said:


> I lived in Limassol in the early 1970s and vividly remember the packs of stray dogs who roamed the streets and were often very aggressive. There could be as many as 10 dogs in a pack and I had more than one very scary encounter with such packs.
> The army used to go round in lorries every so often and shoot these dogs, pick them up and throw them in the backs of the lorries.
> It was quite brutal but these animals were for the most flea ridden, starving, suffering from mange and heaven knows what else so probably actually the best thing all round (as long as the soldiers were good shots).


That was a government decision 1971 to euthanize 40000 of a total of 46000 stray dogs because they were infected with a tapeworm that also spread to humans and could cause echinococcosis. This disease is life threatening and no real cure exist.

It took three years to euthanize 40000 dogs and the rest was very close observed. The method were very succesful and the disease could be controlled. However the latest control program by the state veterinary services revealed that the parasite was present in 20 % of the Cyprus villages

That is why I think that give the government one reason, and they will wipe out all the strays

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echinococcus


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## David_&_Letitia (Jul 8, 2012)

I think that ultimately we are on the same side Anders! 

However, legislation for dog control must come from the Govt and/or local Municipalities and should not just be a short term "one off" to fix a problem which is also seen as a "one off". *Effective* and *enduring* control must continue to be exercised if the problem is to be efficiently dealt with (it is unlikely ever to be eradicated completely). This needs the will, the resources and support on a long term basis.

Using the figures in your quotes below (and I have no reason to doubt them) there were 46,000 stray dogs in 1971 and 6,000 in 1974. Today this 6,000 have increased to 170,000 as a result of apathy and failure of the authorities to recognise that there is a problem. There should be no reason to wait until echinococcosis re-appears before taking drastic action again. If it took 3 years for the Cypriot Army to cull 40,000 dogs, it will take them 20+ years to deal with the current numbers, taking into account the growth rate.



Baywatch said:


> Your "find" is one of about 170 000 stray dogs and 1 million stray cats in Cyprus today according to fresh statistics. Shelters are full and lack funds. The future for all these pets its not very bright and re-homing does not solve the problem.





Baywatch said:


> That was a government decision 1971 to euthanize 40000 of a total of 46000 stray dogs because they were infected with a tapeworm that also spread to humans and could cause echinococcosis. This disease is life threatening and no real cure exist.
> 
> It took three years to euthanize 40000 dogs and the rest was very close observed. The method were very succesful and the disease could be controlled. However the latest control program by the state veterinary services revealed that the parasite was present in 20 % of the Cyprus villages
> 
> That is why I think that give the government one reason, and they will wipe out all the strays


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

David_&_Letitia said:


> I think that ultimately we are on the same side Anders!
> 
> However, legislation for dog control must come from the Govt and/or local Municipalities and should not just be a short term "one off" to fix a problem which is also seen as a "one off". *Effective* and *enduring* control must continue to be exercised if the problem is to be efficiently dealt with (it is unlikely ever to be eradicated completely). This needs the will, the resources and support on a long term basis.
> 
> Using the figures in your quotes below (and I have no reason to doubt them) there were 46,000 stray dogs in 1971 and 6,000 in 1974. Today this 6,000 have increased to 170,000 as a result of apathy and failure of the authorities to recognise that there is a problem. There should be no reason to wait until echinococcosis re-appears before taking drastic action again. If it took 3 years for the Cypriot Army to cull 40,000 dogs, it will take them 20+ years to deal with the current numbers, taking into account the growth rate.


Unfortunately I think that the numbers of stray dogs and cats is already to high to deal with using "normal" methods. As Pete say, even to sterilize all of them would not be doable because of the breeding rate.

I don't like it at all but I fear the the 1971 method will come sooner or later. Why they stopped 1974 was because the army got other things to deal with


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