DOG OWNERS must not only love their pets but also learn to respect other people and to ensure the environment is kept clean, Nicosia authorities said yesterday.
This means cleaning up pooches’ mess during walk time, ensuring animals don’t bark continually, keeping dogs on a lead at all time and placing a ‘beware dog’ sign on the front gate. Failure to do so could result in a hefty fine.
“I love animals but I also love my town,” Nicosia municipality sanitary department head Philippos Petsas said.
“This is the slogan of our campaign.”
He was speaking at a news conference to announce the launch of a new campaign to raise awareness about the dos and don’ts involved in dog ownership.
The mayors of Nicosia municipality as well as its five suburbs including Ayios Dometios, Aglandjia, Strovolos, Engomi and Lakatamia have been integral in ensuring the campaign goes ahead. The mayor of Latsia has also given it his full backing.
The campaign, which will include handing out pamphlets to schools, shops and homes in the seven districts as well as a more in-depth booklet that will be given to owners upon renewal of their dog license, will run till the end of the year.
“After this time we will not hesitate to impose fines,” Nicosia mayor Eleni Mavrou said.
“Under no circumstances do we want to give out the message that we are condemning dog owners because we are not. But loving animals means so much more than showing off our dogs to our friends and the neighbourhood children.
“It means ensuring their welfare and respecting our fellow citizens and the environment,” she said.
According to the pamphlet, dog owners who fail to comply with the law could face a fine of up to £1,000 or even imprisonment.
The municipalities decided to clamp down on the issue following repeated complaints by the public of dog owners allowing their pets to roam the streets unattended and stray pooches defecating on public pavements or on the road without owners bothering to pick it up.
“People out for a walk to seek some enjoyment often end up stepping in excrement because of this,” Lakatamia’s mayor said.
Dog lovers who attended the news conference said more areas were needed to allow dogs to run freely and to socialise with other canines. This would then ensure the animals were less aggressive in adulthood and would also mean they were too tired to stay up and bark at night, disturbing the neighbours.
The mayors agreed that more parks specially catered for dogs were needed but said for the time being their owners would have to ensure that they took responsibility for their animals and respected others.
“There is Aglandja park at the moment which is easily accessible from all parts of greater Nicosia so people will have to use that for the time being,” Mavrou said.
“In the meantime people have to learn the importance of keeping our town clean and to respect other people whose quality of life is affected by these problems.”
Latsia mayor Panayiotis Kyprianou said: “It is everyone’s right to own a dog. But we must love and care for animals. We must respect them.
“We are also obliged to maintain all hygiene regulations for our families’ health and the health of our fellow citizens. This is because our fellow citizens have rights too. The right to live in a clean environment without nests of infection, the right to live in a quiet, disturbance free environment.”
He added: “Our aim is not the stringent implementation of the Dog Law to impose and collect fines. Our aim is to implement the law so that we achieve a clean environment and a better quality of life for everyone.”
The mayors called for the public’s co-operation to ensure the campaign was effective.
“The key is in your hands. Love and care for animals with respect for our fellow citizens’ and the environment,” was their unanimous message.
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