Charity threatens to release animals into the streets

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memory man
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Charity threatens to release animals into the streets

Post by memory man »

A Paphos animal charity on Tuesday threatened to release about 1,500 animals “for the state to take care of” after it said its running costs have become unsustainable.

The future of hundreds of animals hangs in the balance after Animal Rescue Cyprus ARC, previously known as Paphiakos and CCP animal welfare groups, which has been operating for more than 35 years issued an urgent appeal for funds.

ARC said members of the public continue to drop off unwanted animals without making a donation while they lack government funding has led to their current dire straits.

“The workload is becoming heavier by the day and running costs are increasing, we are now in an impossible situation. Either we receive immediate help or we will be forced to open the shelter gates for the 1,500 or so animals, and let all of the staff go and apply for unemployment benefit and the government redundancy fund,” ARC said.

“We take our duties very seriously and we are doing our best to ensure that our rescue service, Erasmus and educational programmes continue,” a member of staff told the Cyprus Mail, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Increasing numbers of people are refusing to make donations towards an animal’s care when they drop off rescued, injured and unwanted animals at the charity. “This applies to a large percentage of people. Even if they just gave €10, which is not a fortune, it would really help,” she said.

In 2018, the charity spayed and neutered 1,825 dogs and 9,125 cats. They also collected and disposed of 638 dead animals from the roads last year.

“Local authorities continue to bring animals to the shelter and use the services provided, but never pay any money for them,” the staff member said.

“Last Friday new regulations for shelters and dog hotels were approved by parliament, granting an additional €100,000 funding to the existing €100,000 they already grant, so basically doubling the aid budget for shelters,” the Animal Party’s Kyriakos Kyriakou said. This money is distributed among all shelters.

“If ARC cannot handle the animals they have to make an arrangement with the ministry of agriculture to transfer the animals to other shelters,” he added. “You can’t just fold and give the responsibility of the animals to the government or to other shelters.”

Paid staff at ARC had numbered around 45, which includes the charity’s two veterinarians, shop, clinic and office staff. That number has just been reduced to 35 with more cuts looming.

“We need an extra €25,000 a month to break even. We need urgent help to ensure that we won’t close. Currently, all the animals are at the shelter and all measures have been taken for them to be fed, cleaned and looked after,” she said.

Around 1,490kg a day of dog food is required, in addition to 75kg of cat food and rice amounts plus 35 cans of soft food.

Feed for horses, donkeys and goats costs €40,000 a year and 800 bales of hay, greens, salt, vitamins, and medical costs come with an estimate of €220,000.

Although a large number of people are signed up to volunteer at the charity, most of them are dog walkers and there is only a small core of ‘regulars’, as the rest are made up of holidaymakers and occasional helpers, the staffer said.

It is impossible to rely on volunteers to run the shelter and carry out all of the massive tasks that need to be undertaken on a daily basis, she added, including cleaning out all of the animal areas and feeding.

“The shelter in particular is very gruelling work and volunteers here never last more than a few days at most. This is a very stressful time for us all as we understand only too well how important our mission is to the community, the environment and the animals.”

The charity is in the process of setting up a crowd-funding page with the aim that regular and recurrent monthly donations will be made by supporters.

Kyriakou said there was a similar case in Limassol when a shelter was about to close down but the government intervened and offered financial support to avoid the closure. “I think the government will do the same with ARC this time,” he said.



Animal Rescue Cyprus on Facebook, www.cyprusanimalwelfare.com

https://cyprus-mail.com/2019/11/12/char ... e-streets/


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WHL
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Re: Charity threatens to release animals into the streets

Post by WHL »

A very interesting and thought provoking article.
https://www.peta.org/features/deadly-co ... -policies/
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71 Trans Am
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Re: Charity threatens to release animals into the streets

Post by 71 Trans Am »

This article would have normally provoked some response from Flossie but come to think about it Where is Flossie these days ?
Firefly
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Re: Charity threatens to release animals into the streets

Post by Firefly »

The trouble is that whilst some care about unwanted, sick animals, the majority in Cyprus do not. Until a body such as the R.S.P.C.A is founded, nothing will change I fear. It would help if schools taught children to respect animals, the church too could help, but I can't see it happening any time soon.

I have seen some awful animal cruelty take place in Cyprus, my heart goes out to these sad creatures.

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Yioula
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Re: Charity threatens to release animals into the streets

Post by Yioula »

In Cyprus years ago you could not import bitches only dogs on joining the EU the floodgates opened and now there is every breed here and unscrupulous people (like all EU countries) breeding for financial gains with total disregard for welfare ......
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Re: Charity threatens to release animals into the streets

Post by cyprusmax47 »

If every dog had to be registered, micro-shipped,spayed/neutered before the owner is allowed to keep the dog, very quickly we would have less problems and dog shelters would have only a few animals to keep. Of course this had to be very strict controlled from the local administrations with authorisation to issue penalties, perhaps together with property tax for example. This way the locals would not have 5-10 dogs many keep at the countryside when they have to pay every year 20 Euro per dog and a fine on top if they are late with their payment.

I am surrounded from ca 40 dogs where I live and I am pretty sure that only 1 or 2 owners from 8 pay their dog tax and got the documents from the Veterinary Association....

Yesterdays post from CYMail goes in that direction and I would agree full with their statement at the end of the article:

"Throwing more and more money at shelters every year to feed an ever-growing number of abandoned animals is not going to solve the problem in the long term. For now, enforcement is the key and the mechanisms are there. As far as educating people on responsible pet ownership is concerned, it seems a few more decades will be needed."

https://cyprus-mail.com/2019/11/13/our- ... or-system/

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Re: Charity threatens to release animals into the streets

Post by Firefly »

Lloyd

I also agree with Max. I agree with you also that animal cruelty is not the preserve of Cyprus. However, this article is not discussing animal cruelty in the UK. I have, to my distress, seen some terrible animal cruelty at first hand in Cyprus. Thank God I have not had to witness the same in the UK.

The R.S.P.C.A will, and does prosecute here, and in the worst cases the perpetrators have been jailed.
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Re: Charity threatens to release animals into the streets

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71 Trans Am wrote: Wed Nov 13, 2019 12:31 pm This article would have normally provoked some response from Flossie but come to think about it Where is Flossie these days ?
She asked to be deleted from the forum.
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Kili01
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Re: Charity threatens to release animals into the streets

Post by Kili01 »

Dare I say it, but since it is so difficult to get owners to neuter their animals, plus the problem caused by the sheer number of feral cats and digs, the only humane solution to overcrowded shelters is the humane and selective euthanasia of some in order to keep numbers manageable.
Indiscriminate breeding and abandonment of hunting dogs is another problem.
I suspect that owners of pedigree dogs are less likely to abandon them as they are often worth a lot of money. Though sadly some expats leaving the island can also be guilty of abandoning pets.
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Re: Charity threatens to release animals into the streets

Post by jagwheels »

I am sure in our own way we try to support charities etc & I am very aware of past & present members on Paphos forums being involved but the sum mentioned for Animal Rescue Cyprus ARC to continue are staggering & understand their dilemma. How did the situation get to this? Slightly off topic but one of the many charities my wife supports is the national lifeboat association & recently found out that the CEO's salary is £300,000+ & most are volunteers :?:
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memory man
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Re: Charity threatens to release animals into the streets

Post by memory man »

I feed 6 feral cats twice every day, and last week i spent
nearly eu200 on vets fees to help keep them well.

All the ferals have been speyed or neutered at my expense.


I also have 1 dog and 2 house cats.
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Re: Charity threatens to release animals into the streets

Post by Dominic »

jagwheels wrote: Wed Nov 13, 2019 7:37 pm I am sure in our own way we try to support charities etc & I am very aware of past & present members on Paphos forums being involved but the sum mentioned for Animal Rescue Cyprus ARC to continue are staggering & understand their dilemma. How did the situation get to this? Slightly off topic but one of the many charities my wife supports is the national lifeboat association & recently found out that the CEO's salary is £300,000+ & most are volunteers :?:
That reminds me of the chuggers that used to populate the UK highstreets and skim their sizable chunks off any donations.

I suppose on one level, the CEO must earn his salary by generating more income for the charity. But how could they as a person, justify their salary to themselves?
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Re: Charity threatens to release animals into the streets

Post by PhotoLady »

Having had dealings with this particular charity in the past who took money from us when they imported our domestic pets to Cyprus for us when we arrived from UK and did not provide the necessary vaccinations they said they would, even though we were charged for them - not just us but also our neighbours' pets too as they were all transported together, I really do not believe everything they tell us now.

I've seen too many of their pleas and they only publicly milk the stories they want you to see.

I have friends who work in charity run shelters and they do really struggle - every day there's a new trauma or horror story. ARC only publish horror stories when it suits them and they know they can raise funds from it.
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Re: Charity threatens to release animals into the streets

Post by Lucie »

WHL wrote: Wed Nov 13, 2019 11:26 am A very interesting and thought provoking article.
https://www.peta.org/features/deadly-co ... -policies/
But Paphiakos isn't a no kill shelter.
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Re: Charity threatens to release animals into the streets

Post by Yioula »

It’s Thursday tomorrow is it still their culling day !!!
It’s makes no difference here if they are hunters dogs or expensive pedigrees they can all end as strays, pounds or in rescue there are some people doing remarkable work with fostering, ,rehabilitation, sponsorship and rehoming these animals and long may their good relentless work continue..........
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Re: Charity threatens to release animals into the streets

Post by trevnhil »

What sort of numbers do they Cull then.. Do they start with the elderly and sick animals.. I have taken abandoned and poisoned dogs there, and been asked to provide a donation, and have done so. But I didn't know that they regularly Culled animals rescued and taken to them..
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Re: Charity threatens to release animals into the streets

Post by Kili01 »

Trev,
I think that they have to cull some. As it is their dog sanctuary can have 400 animals and thats not counting puppies in a separate area. They try their hardest, but there is a limit. So many animals arrive needing care on a daily basis.
Then there is the cattery.. , they try to rehome as many dogs and cats as possible.Last time I had contact with them, albeit a few months ago, they also had 38, horses, ponies and donkeys. These latter animals are very expensive to keep. They are never re homed I was told, in case they are exploited by their new owners.
I think that Paphiakos (to use) its old name does its best, but continually needs money, animal food and help. I forgot to mention their rescue service, the only charity who do this.
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Re: Charity threatens to release animals into the streets

Post by trevnhil »

Thanks for the up to date info Dee. Can I just ask what you mean by their 'Rescue Service' ?
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Re: Charity threatens to release animals into the streets

Post by Kili01 »

Paphiakos have had an emergency rescue service for animals for some years, but whether they are still able to do this may depend on their finances and if they have a suitable vehicle. I could probably find out.

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Re: Charity threatens to release animals into the streets

Post by Kili01 »

Paphiakos have had an emergency rescue service for animals for some years, but whether they are still able to do this may depend on their finances and if they have a suitable vehicle. I could probably find out.

Dee
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