Farm days are over for urban dwellers

THE AUTHORITIES have announced a crackdown on people illegally keeping animals in their back yards.

The Paphos Municipality alone has received over 100 complaints over the past three months from people unhappy over what they claim is excess noise and poor hygiene from neighbours keeping poultry, sheep and rabbits in their gardens.

Nick Paspallis of Paphos Municipality’s Health Services yesterday told the Mail that the large number of complaints are due to the fact that times have changed.

“In this day and age, people are living in closer proximity to one another so they need to show more respect,” he said.

“Paphos used to be a small town but it has expanded at a great rate, meaning the days are long gone when people lived by themselves, with nobody nearby.”

He added people now have to apply to the Municipality for a licence to be allowed to keep poultry or other farm animals on their property.

“I know of several cases where licences have not been issued due to worries from neighbours who object to the potential noise, smell and general lack of hygiene,” Paspallis said.

“Many people don’t seem to be put off though and keep these animals without permission. In these cases, they are taken to court.”

Reports had circulated in the local press that the clampdown is taking place as a result of certain EU guidelines, but Paspallis said he was not aware of any such directives from Brussels.

Veterinary Services chief George Neophytou also said the clampdown had nothing to do with Europe, explaining that each Municipality was responsible for deciding whether to approve licence applications.
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