This year mass abandonment of dogs is seen and as a result shelters are at full capacity and volunteers have reached their limits.
The phenomenon of abandonment is not new but this year it has reached its peak. For this reason, volunteers are stressing the need to implement the legislation for the well-being of animals and the training of the public on the obligations of pet owners.
As Monica Mitsidou, a volunteer at the D.O.G RESCUE CYPRUS, said, usually during summer vacations a lot of dogs are abandoned but this year “it is something else.” The reason, as she noted, is that many people got dogs during the pandemic and now that they are going on holiday they do not want to pay for a hotel, a pet sitter or find another solution.
She also pointed out that currently dog shelters are full since adoptions from abroad, and mainly from England have been reduced since during the pandemic millions of dogs have been adopted there as well.
These views were echoed by Evita Charalambous, volunteer at PAWS who added that young people cannot find apartments where they can take their pets so they leave them behind.
