I was walking along a back street when I came across a sight that made me slow my pace. A burly man standing on a curbside was looking down at, as I got closer and could make it out, a kitten.
The kitten, about eight weeks old, was in a sorry state. It was lying in the nook of the curb and was motionless.
I asked the man if it had been hit by a car. He told me that he wasn’t sure. I knelt next to the kitten and saw that it didn’t look injured but was very ill and weak. Perhaps it had a virus.
Carefully, the man and I moved the kitten to a nearby patch of grass and he went to get some water which we administered with a bottle cap. This revived the kitten a bit.
As we took turns stroking its head, something this rather unkempt man did very gently, he explained that he had got in touch with an acquaintance that was connected to one of the local animal charities. He had been keeping an eye on the kitten while waiting for her to arrive.
This lady got there soon afterwards and we transferred the kitten to a cat basket while she found out what seemed to be wrong with the animal. Then she whisked it away in a car to be examined. Perhaps it was too unwell to be saved. Perhaps, with the right care, it hopefully made it.
Another time, wandering around Kato Paphos I was struck by the sight of a clowder of cats (yes that really is what a group of cats is called, along with ‘glaring’). There are so many strays that you usually don’t notice them, but these ones stood out as they were all pure white.
A man approached with his wife and started to shake some dried food out for them while she filled disposable containers with water. We got talking and he explained how he fed felines in the neighbourhood three or four times a week although he couldn’t really afford to.
He reminded me of what I would describe as the quintessential cat lady, a woman who makes it her business to do the rounds daily close to where I live, leaving a trail of food for strays.
To be honest, she talks to herself and is peculiarly dressed, so I avoid her, but I’ve noticed that the animals love her. As soon as she turns in at the end of the road, the strays appear from wherever they have been lounging and weave around her feet with their tails high.
Did I mention these people are Cypriot? I only do so because I have recently heard a wave of comments from people who have moved here from abroad about the level of animal cruelty here. I have lived here long enough to be tired of this perspective.
It is true that you witness some horrible and hurtful scenarios in Cyprus. Anyone who has helplessly watched a cat or dog choke to death with poison knows what I mean.
But there is also an equal amount of compassion with caring people doing what they can to make life easier for animals on the island. You only have to open your eyes.
source:- http://in-cyprus.com/paphos-notes-cypriot-kindness/
Cypriot kindness
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memory man
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cyprusmax47
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Re: Cypriot kindness
Lucie Robson is writing articles which are a lot of tush, but here she is quite right:
" It is true that you witness some horrible and hurtful scenarios in Cyprus. Anyone who has helplessly watched a cat or dog choke to death with poison knows what I mean.
But there is also an equal amount of compassion with caring people doing what they can to make life easier for animals on the island. You only have to open your eyes."
Animal cruelty happens many times when the older generation of farmers are involved. On the other hand how many pet shops we have in Paphos district is unbelievable and when you see the selection of treats they sell you can understand that Cypriots also care a lot about their pets. Snakes is a different subject and needs more education at schools to change the attitude towards them. Also how they keep birds I don't agree but it is getting better. 20 years ago song birds were always sold at their panigiri street markets as a toy for children, I can't see it nowadays. To catch wild birds is still a big problem but there is a lot of money involved and the tradition to eat them at a restaurant will not stop soon. In the meantime as it is not allowed, some Cypriots show off eating them to tell their friends and proofing it with their handy pics...
Max
" It is true that you witness some horrible and hurtful scenarios in Cyprus. Anyone who has helplessly watched a cat or dog choke to death with poison knows what I mean.
But there is also an equal amount of compassion with caring people doing what they can to make life easier for animals on the island. You only have to open your eyes."
Animal cruelty happens many times when the older generation of farmers are involved. On the other hand how many pet shops we have in Paphos district is unbelievable and when you see the selection of treats they sell you can understand that Cypriots also care a lot about their pets. Snakes is a different subject and needs more education at schools to change the attitude towards them. Also how they keep birds I don't agree but it is getting better. 20 years ago song birds were always sold at their panigiri street markets as a toy for children, I can't see it nowadays. To catch wild birds is still a big problem but there is a lot of money involved and the tradition to eat them at a restaurant will not stop soon. In the meantime as it is not allowed, some Cypriots show off eating them to tell their friends and proofing it with their handy pics...
Max
