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For years, Paphos’ stray animals have depended heavily on volunteers, people who open their homes, fill their cars with food and carriers, and somehow find room for one more dog or cat when every shelter space is already taken.
Now, the state says it intends to allocate €250,000 for a modern district animal shelter, with the ambitious goal of completing it within 18 months.
The long-standing problem was discussed Friday at Paphos Town Hall during a meeting attended by Environment and Animal Welfare Commissioner Elias Myrianthous and acting Paphos Mayor Angelos Onisiforou.
Myrianthous said he wants the project completed before the end of his term and acknowledged that several obstacles must first be overcome, most importantly, deciding where the shelter will be built.
At present, the safe care of stray animals across the Paphos district relies largely on private organizations and, above all, volunteers.
Local authorities have created temporary holding areas, but existing facilities are not sufficient to deal effectively with the number of abandoned and stray animals needing shelter.
For animal rescuers, this often means overcrowded facilities, growing veterinary bills, and the constant struggle to find foster homes or adopters. In many cases, the difference between an animal being rescued or left on the street comes down to whether an already stretched volunteer can take on one more case.
A state-owned plot in Anarita had previously been identified as a possible location for the district shelter. The proposal, however, met strong opposition from the Union of Paphos Communities and the local authority.
Myrianthous said efforts are now focused on removing the obstacles preventing the project from moving forward. He also left open the possibility of finding another suitable site if the Anarita option proves unworkable.
Onisiforou acknowledged the seriousness of the problem but expressed confidence that the current difficulties could be overcome if all sides approached the issue with cooperation and goodwill.
The proposed shelter is being presented as a permanent answer to a problem that Paphos has struggled with for years. But for the district’s animal welfare organizations and volunteers, the announcement will be judged not by the amount promised or another timetable on paper, but by whether construction actually begins.
Until then, abandoned animals will continue arriving at shelter gates, veterinary clinics, and volunteers’ homes, and the people already carrying much of the burden will continue doing what they have always done: making room where there is none.
