A COUPLE was left devastated this week when their beloved dog died after eating a poison-laced morsel on busy Ayios Antonios Street in Kato Paphos.
Also known as Bar street, Ayios Antonios is one of the busiest areas in Paphos and its restaurants, cafés and pedestrianised section attract much of the town’s tourist traffic.
One woman who regularly exercised her pets close to the small church on Bar Street, also had a pet die after walking in the area. She believes her pet swallowed poison left on the ground.
Another local who owns two dogs and often walks them in Bar Street spoke of her horror.
“I really am shocked. I can’t believe such a terrible thing could happen in the middle of Paphos.
The government must ban these poisons and put in place stricter controls. I won’t walk my dogs here again.
“I have a toddler. What if he picked up the poison? We should put up notices to warn everyone. What would happen if a child died? It beggars belief,” she said.
Janet and Frank Brooks’ have been holidaying in Cyprus for 15 years and moved out permanently in March this year.
“We live in Kato Paphos and regularly walked Aggy around Kato Paphos. We had heard warnings about poisoning, so we stayed away from places such as the lighthouse area and waste ground,” said Janet Brooks.
The tragedy happened early Tuesday morning when Frank Brooks took Aggy for their regular stroll down Ayios Antonios Street.
“She was sniffing around as dogs do, and she stopped to eat something off the pavement outside Bubbles Bar and the Kebab shop. My husband had only walked as far as the fountain, when Aggy was violently sick,” Janet said.
“He called me, and told me she wasn’t well and I should pick them up in our car. By the time I arrived she was shaking violently.
The couple rushed the sick animal to Pafiakos animal welfare clinic which was close by.
”Staff at the welfare centre were fantastic and began working on her immediately, but despite valiant efforts by staff, she had died,” Janet said tearfully.
“They told us she had died of poisoning. We were stunned. I can’t believe people would put poison down on a main pedestrianised street in Paphos. What would have happened if a small child had picked it up?
“Somebody told us that people in Bar Street put down poison to kill rats and vermin in the area. I can understand they want to get rid of these pests, but why don’t they use products as they do in the UK, which are contained in a box.”
Jack Russell terrier Aggy would have been seven years old on August 1.
“We have had Aggy since she was a tiny puppy and as we don’t have any children, she is our baby,” said Janet.
“We don’t want to upset anyone or cause any trouble, but we are devastated, and now I am feeling very angry.”
Janet has been told the dog was probably poisoned with Lanate, the brand name of an organophosphate pesticide. Odourless and tasteless, it is banned in almost every other country in Europe, but despite continued campaigning is still available in Cyprus.
The Green party have been trying to ban the sale of Lanate and other pesticides containing methomyl.
Thousands of dogs, cats and birds across Cyprus have suffered grizzly deaths due to these substances. George Perdikis of the Green Party asked for its immediate withdrawal from the market earlier this year.
Cyprus law forbids “any person to inject, water or feed an animal with any product which contains a poison”. The punishment is a maximum of 12 months in prison, or a substantial fine or both. Very few convictions have been handed down.
“I still love Cyprus,” said Janet,” but I am now aware there are some very ignorant people here, with no concern for anyone else, they do their own thing regardless of the consequences.”
“The staff at the animal shelter want us to have another dog. But there is no way I could go through this again. To watch Aggy’s pain and suffering was more than I could bear. She was part of our family. She died an agonising death and I loved her.”
