A new bill providing hefty fines aims to put the brakes on dog abandonment by owners whose irresponsible action leads to a massive increase of stray dogs in Cyprus.
The bill also provides a hefty penalty for those not bothering to pick up their dog’s poop, according to Philenews.
Specifically, the bill which is already under discussion in parliament, provides a penalty of €200 for possession of a dog without a licence.
At the same time, a €200 fine will be slapped by the competent local authority to owners who fail to take measures to reduce nuisance barking.
As for failure to immediately pick up their dog’s poop from a public area the fine is €300.
The provisions of the ‘The Dogs (Amendment) Act 2022’ also provides that no person under the age of 18 can own a dog without obtaining an ownership license first.
This license will be valid up until December 31 each year and each owner is required to renew it annually by presenting a health booklet updated within the past twelve months.
The fee for the licence is €5 for neutered dogs and up to €30 for non-neutered dogs.
The owner is also obliged to inform authorities of any change of contact details and residence address within 10 days. And he/she must also have a “dog alert” sign with a picture of a dog at the entrance of their premises.
