Cyprus moves to ban euthanasia of stray cats and dogs

Cyprus is preparing legislative amendments to prohibit the euthanasia of stray cats and dogs. Antonia Theodosiou, the Commissioner for the Environment and Animal Welfare, announced that euthanasia will only be permitted in extreme cases. These exceptions include situations where an animal poses a proven serious threat to society or suffers from a severe, incurable illness. The proposed changes to the Law on Dogs are currently awaiting review and approval by the Cypriot parliament. This initiative aims to shift from mass euthanasia toward humane treatment and long-term solutions for the island's stray animal population. The bill also introduces new regulations for pet owners, including potential limits on the number of animals per household. While current owners will be exempt from certain new restrictions, administrative fines and sanctions will be introduced to increase accountability. The action plan has been submitted to the ministries of agriculture, interior, and justice to address chronic enforcement issues.