Veterinary services address animal culling video amid foot-and-mouth disease outbreak

The Cypriot Veterinary Services have issued an official response regarding a video circulating on social media that shows officials using firearms to cull cattle within a foot-and-mouth disease control zone. The president of the United Cypriot Hunters Movement, Nikolas Prodromou, shared the footage and criticized the authorities, describing the practice as a crime and questioning its compliance with existing protocols. In response, the Veterinary Services stated that the use of firearms for culling is an authorized method under EU Regulation No. 1099/2009. Authorities emphasized that this method ensures instantaneous death without causing unnecessary suffering or pain to the animals. The culling is carried out by trained personnel as a mandatory measure to eradicate the foot-and-mouth disease virus. The Veterinary Services further noted that the procedure is not a matter of choice, but a necessary public health requirement. No specific location or date for the footage was provided in the official statement beyond its context in the disease eradication efforts.