Animal Party to stage protest after dog killed

The Animal Party is staging a peaceful protest for Tyson, a dog they say was murdered with two close-range gunshots to the neck, at 11am on Sunday near the Vasilikos power plant, it announced on Saturday.

According to a statement, Tyson was shot twice from point-blank range in the neck and died instantly.

The dog had left the family he belonged to and was found wandering the streets near Mari in October. He was neither registered nor microchipped.

A 72-year-old man took him in – on the instructions of the local council, the Animal Party says – and keep him with his other dogs, but claimed Tyson had exhibited aggression, and shot him with his hunting shotgun.

Tyson’s owner called the mukhtar an hour later, only to find out that his dog was dead.

“The dog belonged to a family, of which it was a part,” the party said.

“For no reason, and without following the legally-prescribed procedure, the Mari local council and mukhtar Maria Georgiou, in order to save themselves the trouble, dispatched an individual who has no expertise in animal welfare issues, and no knowledge on how such an instance should be handled, and the result was most tragic. Tyson was shot and killed on the spot.”
Condemning the incident, the party said “terrible mistakes, omissions, and inaction” was observed with regard to implementing the law.

“The Zygi police, which is investigating the case, has already taken statements from all involved,” the Animal party said.

“The perpetrator of Tyson’s murder confessed to his crime from the start.”

What the party contests, the statement added, was that the police claimed to have found no evidence to prosecute Georgiou.

“The Animal Party has a different view, and, along with our legal advisors, we have decided that our findings warrant a re-opening of the investigation into the responsibility not only of the local council but of Mrs Georgiou, and all others involved in this incident,” the party said.

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