Paphos People

There are far too many dogs being left behind in Cyprus by Expats that are returning to the UK! The people leaving them should never have had them in the first instance if they were not prepared to give them a forever home.

There are also the animals that are handed over to the shelters because their owners have decided that for a variety of reasons they don't want their pets anymore. I have heard lots of lame excuses for doing this!

I am not at all concerned about the owner's feelings but am very concerned about the welfare of the animals that are being discarded like a piece of worn out clothing.
These people should work in one of the shelters for a week so that they can listen to the pityful cries of the dogs that have been ''dumped''. These animals have done nothing to deserve this sort of treatment, they really cannot understand what is happening to them when they are passed around from pillar to post!

Sue.

A Dog is for Life not just for Cyprus.
(I only wish more people would remember this)

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Sue.

A Dog is for Life not Just for Cyprus.
(I wish more people would remember this)

It is happening far too much at the moment Sue and I am as well as many other true animal lovers.

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"Your dog is your friend, your partner, your defender. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true until the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion"

I 100% agree with these sentiments.
However:
There are always 2 sides to everything.
I believe that there are fundamental reasons why people tire of dog ownership in Cyprus.
One of these reasons is that owning a dog in Cyprus is VERY different to owning a dog in the UK.
Many people do not realise this.
Let me explain.
I have 2 dogs, both of which were rescues, from UK kennels, both of which were brought out with me.
In the UK I was in the privileged position of living in a house that backed onto a nature reserve. I was also surrounded by arable farmland and lived 20mins from the sea.
My dogs didn't really know what a lead was! They both lived outside 90% of the time.
It was a pleasure to take them out; walking the footpaths, playing with a ball/stick, swimming in the local river/sea, etc. ect.
(the dogs that is, not me )
Unfortunately these simple pleasures cannot be enjoyed in Cyprus and I am certain that many prospective dog owners do not realise this.
There is the constant threat of poisoning, so allowing dogs off leads anywhere apart from on your own property is a non starter.
Open spaces where you are allowed to let dogs run free are, at best limited and effectively non existent.
Taking them to the Beach in this area is also not possible due to the municipalities failure to honor their obligations and provide a dog friendly beach.
Owning a dog in Cyprus, far from being the enjoyable experience it should be, actually becomes stressful and a liabillity and sometimes downright unpleasant.
Please don't get me wrong, I would never abandon either of my dogs or dump them in a shelter, but equally when these 2 finally pass away I for one will not be rushing out to get another for all of the above reasons.
I firmly believe that a lot of people get into this situation through ignorance and I wonder if a leaflet setting out some of the downsides to owning a dog in Cyprus and distributed at the airport could be useful.

Brian.

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Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want....

Brian,

Some very valid points I must admit, but I do not think a leaflet is the answer as we would then be putting people off completely and there are so many who desperately need forever homes.

I think what Sue is saying is that the number of Brits who are dumping their dogs in the shelter because they are returning to the UK and have not had shots for rabies or a pet passport and as our saying goes a Dog is for Life not just Cyprus. If you have had a dog for a number of years and some of them have then just dump it in a shelter that really is cruelty in its own way as that dog has had love and affection for x number of years then no longer wanted. Hope you can understand what I mean because sometimes it is hard to put into words without upsetting people.

I agree it is not easy owning a dog here, I have three rescue dogs and one foster dog and what I would do to be able to take them somewhere safe and enclosed to let them off the lead - oh it would be doggy heaven. When I take them out I am constantly on the look out and yes it is stressful having to be one step ahead all the time - or trying to be, but I would not change it for the world as my dogs have given me unconditional love and happiness even if it is in our own little garden. They are the ones who de-stress me because they know when I am hyper and will then come and just sit next to me waiting for that all important cuddle and you know the best stress relief is petting a dog.

Last night was a prime example as I had been studying in the morning which I find is very hard work and then it was just one of those days one thing after another went wrong, so eventually when I thought enough is enough I sat down to watch TV and my own three dogs jumped up and just lay on me as though to say you stay there mum you have done enough, after five minutes trying to stroke all three at once (help I need another hand) my blood pressure had gone down and I was so completely relaxed I dropped off for 10 minutes. Now if they hadn't done it I would have been up half the night, as it was I then took them out for their final walk and we went to bed early and I slept all night.

You have pros and cons with owning a dog anywhere in the world. You obviously were lucky in the UK having all that space and areas to go, but I lived in the East End of London and then Essex and my dogs then were always on a lead so to me there is no difference apart from keeping an eye open for snakes and food that could be poisoned (oh and large Cypriot dogs roaming the streets).

If some sort of leaflet was done it would have to point out the good as well as the bad, but if people ask me about owning one here I for one let them know it isn't easy but the rewards of love far outweigh the bad points.

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"Your dog is your friend, your partner, your defender. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true until the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion"

Well said Trish

Mark I know I need the confidence but this is getting embarrassing - people will start talking - you don't need to keep agreeing with me even if you do.

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"Your dog is your friend, your partner, your defender. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true until the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion"

I have to Trish If i don't agree with any woman, the wife will me. So if she say put you agree i have to just that YES I AM A WIMP

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"Your dog is your friend, your partner, your defender. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true until the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion"