# Abandoned dogs



## David_&_Letitia (Jul 8, 2012)

The problem doesn't seem to be just in Cyprus - this BBC report states that there are 1 million stray dogs in Greece due to the debt crisis. I cannot understand how, when the going gets tough, the Greek thinking is to abandon what for us British, is a family member... 

_"Among the many problems brought on by the Greek debt crisis is a surging population of stray dogs.
Animal charities say there are now more than a million strays in Greece because people are simply abandoning pets they can no longer afford to keep.
There are fears it could lead to the spread of disease if the problem is not tackled soon, as Emilia Papadopoulos reports."_

A million stray dogs 'victims of Greek debt crisis' - BBC News


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## debs21 (Mar 13, 2013)

We have spent many a holiday on one or more of the greek islands. This problem is nothing new. They used to 'cull' the dogs and cats on a regular basis, I am guessing this is no longer allowed but it would only be a temp solution (obviously). Unfortunately I have seen dogs that have been killed and left in lay-bys here and a truck that was full of cat and dog bodies, so it does happen here just not publicly.


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

There was a report on Sky news yesterday about the increase in abandoned dogs in the UK which has got so bad that many are now being euthanized because the shelters can't cope with the large numbers. 
So it isn't only in countries such as Cyprus, Greece and other Mediterranean countries that his happens.


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## David_&_Letitia (Jul 8, 2012)

Veronica said:


> There was a report on Sky news yesterday about the increase in abandoned dogs in the UK which has got so bad that many are now being euthanized because the shelters can't cope with the large numbers.
> So it isn't only in countries such as Cyprus, Greece and other Mediterranean countries that his happens.


I didn't see that report, Veronica.

Maybe, then, the problem is not about abandoned dogs per se, but what to do about them. Many ciities and towns in the U.K. employ dog wardens, round up strays and keep them in a pound until claimed, re-homed or euthanised. Around 20 years ago, we had a dog which would always (given half a chance!) bolt out the door when Letitia was home and I was at work. He would almost always end up in the dog pound and it cost me a small fortune to redeem him! Between the EU funding I'm assured is given to municipalities and the dog licence fees owners pay, surely this system could be replicated here or in Greece?


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

In the report I saw there was a call for a law for all dogs to be microchipped so that strays can be reunited with their owners and owners who simply abandon their animals can be brought to book.
One shelter was saying they used to be able to cope with most dogs that were taken to the local pound but now they have to be selective and take only those dogs who they deem to be good candidates for rehoming. They were saying how upsetting it is to walk away from some dogs knowing they will be euthanized.


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## Parso (Sep 17, 2015)

It's so sad , but I'm sick of seeing ads on other forums people trying to find a mate for their dogs or people trying to sell puppies the island is over run why would they ,we all know how bad it is and yet you still get the people trying to make money and they say they are animal lovers, I don't think so , I really think it's getting worse and when will it stop ? We need to stop people breeding dogs for money and the obvious get them spade /


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

Parso said:


> It's so sad , but I'm sick of seeing ads on other forums people trying to find a mate for their dogs or people trying to sell puppies the island is over run why would they ,we all know how bad it is and yet you still get the people trying to make money and they say they are animal lovers, I don't think so , I really think it's getting worse and when will it stop ? We need to stop people breeding dogs for money and the obvious get them spade /


It will stop when the government repeat the 1971 action and euthanize 90% of them. Then it was total 46000 and 6000 left, what will it be next time?

And it is sad that so many abandoned dogs are abandoned by returning foregners


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

This discussion is going round a loop similar to a previous one where Baywatch and I agreed that a cull is the only practical and viable solution. Let's hope that this thread does not repeat the unpleasantness of the previous one from those misguided animal lovers that value animal life above human life.

It seems to me that the dog or cat overpopulation is probably rampant all over the world except perhaps in China where shortages mean that domestic animals are stolen for the horrific dog food festival that some groups are trying to have stopped.

Yulin Dog Meat Festival

Many ex-pats express a holier than thou opinion about animal treatment in Cyprus need to learn a little more about what happens elsewhere. As Veronica pointed out this includes the UK. The following recent reports come from the BBC website:

Stray dogs still 'significant' problem in UK, says Dogs Trust

'1,400 dogs' abandoned in Scotland

and from the other side of the world:

Sydney Morning Herald

Pete


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## Hudswell (May 14, 2010)

Saving lives one dog at a time - Cyprus Mail Cyprus Mail

An article from The Cyprus Mail. And of course this problem occurs worldwide but I think the scale of the problem here in Cyprus is disproportionate to its population and size, and that I am afraid is down to mentality.


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

PeteandSylv said:


> This discussion is going round a loop similar to a previous one where Baywatch and I agreed that a cull is the only practical and viable solution. Let's hope that this thread does not repeat the unpleasantness of the previous one from those misguided animal lovers that value animal life above human life.
> 
> It seems to me that the dog or cat overpopulation is probably rampant all over the world except perhaps in China where shortages mean that domestic animals are stolen for the horrific dog food festival that some groups are trying to have stopped.
> 
> ...


More to read

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


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

David_&_Letitia said:


> I didn't see that report, Veronica.
> 
> Maybe, then, the problem is not about abandoned dogs per se, but what to do about them. Many ciities and towns in the U.K. employ dog wardens, round up strays and keep them in a pound until claimed, re-homed or euthanised. Around 20 years ago, we had a dog which would always (given half a chance!) bolt out the door when Letitia was home and I was at work. He would almost always end up in the dog pound and it cost me a small fortune to redeem him! Between the EU funding I'm assured is given to municipalities and the dog licence fees owners pay, surely this system could be replicated here or in Greece?


The dog license fee is to 90% an expat tax. It is common knowledge in Pissouri, and I am sure we are not unique, that only expats pay. Our Cypriot friends say that, when everyone pay we will pay. It is much the same with chip and chip register. As long as the dog has no registered chip, the village has no way to enforce the dog license. Think of a hunter with 25 dogs. No way they are paid for.

The new law voted for in the end of this month and probably taken will make chip and registering mandatory, also for stray dogs. Who will pay for it or enforce it is not said.


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## David_&_Letitia (Jul 8, 2012)

PeteandSylv said:


> This discussion is going round a loop similar to a previous one where Baywatch and I agreed that a cull is the only practical and viable solution.


I actually agree that a cull is the most humane solution (in the short term) where the number of strays becomes such a major problem regardless of the country involved. However, I'm not sure how effective this would be in the RoC unless the TRNC took action at the same time. 

The sight of starving, abandoned dogs, and indeed dead dogs left on the side of the road is heartbreaking and has no excuse in my opinion. Enforcement of the law relating to licensing, of municipal responsibility for strays and holding errant 'owners' to account is essential to change attitudes and ease the problem in the longer term.

What really surprised me, which is why I started the thread, is the attitude of people who abandon dogs (or indeed any other pets) because times are hard. I simply cannot understand this mindset.


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

David_&_Letitia said:


> However, I'm not sure how effective this would be in the RoC unless the TRNC took action at the same time.


I wonder if the attitudes are different in the TRNC. I don't recall seeing starving strays and the dogs seen close to houses looked well fed and in good condition on my visits.

Pete


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