CO-ORDINATED ANIMAL WELFARE POLICY ON ITS WAY

From Cyprus Mail  - article by CNA News Service - 2 August 2017

President Nicos Anastasiades is to announce soon the government’s comprehensive policy on animal welfare, the agriculture ministry said on Wednesday.

The ministry said in an announcement that the cabinet approved on Wednesday a €75,000 budget for additional financial assistance towards the stray animals neutering scheme. The additional amount will bring the total budget for the scheme to €125,000.

According to the agriculture ministry, the cabinet also approved in a previous meeting, the establishment of a service that would deal with animal welfare.   “The aim is to resolve the standing problems resulting from the fragmentation of the laws and responsibilities of the (state) services as well as the inability to implement the relevant laws,” it said.  “Animal welfare is one of the top priorities of the government,” it said.

The proposal is being processed by the agriculture ministry in cooperation with the interior ministry, the volunteerism and environment commissioners, the consultant of the agriculture ministry on animal welfare and non-governmental organisations.

“All animal welfare NGOs will participate and contribute to this procedure,” the ministry said,
It added that at the same time, the justice ministry is working on introducing an animal welfare police corps.

President Nicos Anastasiades, the announcement said, will soon make a “detailed presentation of a comprehensive policy on animal welfare which will effectively resolve all standing issues”.