Newsroom
The Municipality of Strovolos is urging residents to stop abandoning animals after several kittens were found deserted in the town’s Linear Park earlier this week.
In a statement posted on social media, 'Strays of Strovolos Public Group' condemned the act, calling abandonment “violence” and reminding the public that it is a criminal offense under Law 46(I)/1994, punishable by fines, imprisonment, or both.
“Parks are not safe spaces for kittens, even if they seem that way,” the municipality wrote. “Volunteers, at their own expense and time, care for and sterilize the stray cats. Continuous abandonments, however, make their work much harder.”
The post emphasized that young animals cannot protect themselves from harsh weather, traffic or predators. Without intervention, the municipality warned, surviving kittens will reproduce, perpetuating “the cycle of suffering.”
Residents reacted strongly online, with many criticizing the municipality for not doing enough to prevent abandonment and support volunteers.
“Why is it so hard to get help from the municipality when I need support for feeding cats? You keep sending me from one person to another,” one commenter wrote.
Another resident, Corina Demetriou, argued that posts on social media are insufficient. “Support citizens financially with the costs for their animals, take responsibility for sterilizations, or fund animal welfare organizations to handle the sterilizations. There are no cost-free solutions,” she said.
Several commenters called for stronger enforcement, including installing cameras in the park to catch offenders. “Install some cameras so maybe someone actually gets caught. It’s in your hands,” said Nicoletta Touloumi.
The municipality responded by noting it implements a sterilization program in cooperation with volunteers and animal welfare organizations, and offers reduced-cost sterilizations for residents once a year.
Some residents said these measures are not enough. “By the time these specific cats are sterilized, the foxes will have a party in the Linear Park,” said Angela Stavrinou, who added that she spends around €200 weekly to trap and sterilize cats in her neighborhood.
The municipality continues to encourage anyone who witnesses animal abandonment to report it to the Animal Police.
