Around 2,000 animals at a Paphos shelter are at risk of losing their homes after private land owners demanded the land on which the shelter is located be returned.
The management organization Irini Diamantopoulou announced this on Monday, November 10.
According to her, the owners plan to use the territory for other purposes and have already demanded to vacate it. If the shelter has to move, all the animals currently living there will also need to be moved to the new location. The shelter exists solely thanks to the efforts of volunteers and does not receive government support.
“Every day, volunteers do everything possible to feed, heal and care for the animals,” Diamantopoulou emphasized.
She added that the authorities have known about the problem for a long time, but have not yet proposed an official solution. The manager called on the public to show solidarity and help save the shelter.
To draw attention to the situation, volunteers plan to hold a peaceful rally on November 14 at 10 am outside the Paphos District Court. For many years now, this shelter has been giving abandoned, sick and injured animals a chance to live, relying entirely on donations and help from caring people.
The closure of the shelter will leave hundreds of dogs and cats without care, again highlighting the difficulties facing animal welfare organizations in Cyprus, where most survive only on private donations and volunteer work.
Source: cyprus-mail.com
