Nicosia is going through an 'abandoned dogs' crisis

And the city is pleading with residents to adopt rather than shop

The Municipality of the Cypriot capital – Nicosia – has issued an appeal to residents to consider adoption if they’re on the market for a new pet dog. That’s because the central dog pound is reportedly filled beyond capacity due to increased rates of abandonment – the highest such in a decade.

The central pound for stray dogs, which is shared by several municipalities, was designed to accept 70 dogs, but it currently has over 100, which makes it impossible to provide quality services to the animals.

Expansion plans are underway, although the authorities argue that building more shelters isn't a definitive solution as many dogs end up staying there for prolonged periods, and that is not optimal for their well-being.

Here are the reasons behind this issue

The reasons for the surge in abandoned dogs are complex and some of them even have to do with geopolitics. Reportedly, there are organized drives for international pet adoptions, however, since the start of the war in Ukraine, these have focused on helping out animals from the war-affected country.

Another reason for the increase in abandoned pooches was the fact that during the COVID pandemic and lockdowns, many people decided to become dog owners as a way to have an excuse to go out for walks and leave the confinements of their homes. Many such “situational” owners have then disposed of the dogs once the lockdown measures were removed.

There’s also a variation when it comes to which dogs have a better chance of being adopted. Smaller breeds are preferred as they require less space.

Michalis Papadakis, who’s in charge of overseeing stray dog populations in the Cypriot capital emphasized the necessity of stricter legislation on animal abandonment and the enforcement of fines for violations.

He also called for promoting spaying or neutering to control the population.