Hunters offer reward to catch the poisoners

THE Cyprus Hunting Association yesterday offered a £3,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for the poisoning of 18 hunting dogs on Sunday.
The dogs were poisoned in the area of Lara in the Paphos district on the first day of the hunting season.

Giorgos Zandiotis from the Hunting Association yesterday told the Cyprus Mail they did not know for certain who was responsible, but they doubted it was hunters. “There are various activist groups who are against hunters. There was a law passed some time ago stipulating that people cannot kill hares unless it is hunting season and unless they have a license. The fine for killing each hare is between £35 and £40. These people who illegally kill hares could be responsible,” said Zandiotis.

He added that animals were often poisoned. “Some farmers lay traps to catch people who may try to steal from their land and therefore these people often poison their animals.”
He added there was a rumour circulating amongst Akamas residents, who suspect the dogs were poisoned to get back at hunters who allegedly rustled sheep last year. But Zandiotis dismissed the suggestion. “This is simply a rumour and cannot be proved. I don’t believe people would go to such lengths for revenge. Each hunting dog was worth between £3,000 and £5,000. There must be more to it,” said Zandiotis.

The House Environment Committee has called on the authorities to intervene and assist in investigations to bring those responsible to justice. The police are continuing their investigations, but no evidence had yesterday been brought to light.

The poisoned dogs were taken for testing and the police hope some evidence will be found linking them to the culprits. “The poison that was used to kill the dogs was probably lanate, which is an easily accessible pesticide. It can be bought from farming shops,” said Zandiotis.

“However, I have spoken with AKEL deputy Christos Mavrokordatos who has made a decision that all pesticides must contain a substance that will induce vomiting if swallowed.

“We would like to appeal to anyone who has seen animals being mistreated,” Zandiotis added. “We are hunters but we do have principles.”

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.