Kibkom North Cyprus Forum

Found our dog ( Madge) dead this morning from poisoning.
Found a piece of meat on the drive which we think is the poisoned meat.
Think its about time all the Vets got together and campaigned to the Government
about restricting the sale of poison.

lanclass,

I can't imagine how you must be feeling having discovered Madge.

Words fail me and I'm so sorry for your loss.

RIP Madge.

Kind regards

Judy

I am so sorry for you. What a horrible way to lose your beloved pet.

I despair of this place I really do, one day a child will pick up something and eat it and then the government (might) do something about restrictions on sale of this stuff.

All the Government will do is try to find an expat to blame, the dog situation in Cyprus is a damn disgrace, how you lot live with it and do nothing is beyond me, why don't you all demonstrate, cos you can't be bothered! You wouldn't tolerate this in the UK but you all turn a blind eye there!!!

lancslass. I am so very sorry to hear what happened - my thoughts are with you today.

I totally agree that something needs to be done to stop this barbaric, stupid and ignorant behaviour towards poor defenseless animals - it is so indiscriminate and loving pets as well as strays are suffering unnecessarily.

They would be better to adopt a program now started here where dog/cats are caught and neutered then released. This stops them breeding and helps to control the stray population - unfortunately they still do the poison here as well!!

Very sorry to hear about your poor dog .

Belle this is not the uk . Laws are different here and demonstrating would lead to arrests and deportation .The locals do not have the same love to animals as the uk . The shepherds have long used poisioning as an excepted method of live stock protection . It is this mind set we have to change and having a go at the expat community does not help .

Hear Hear carolhmb thumbs up on your post

Anna

They would be better to adopt a program now started here where dog/cats are caught and neutered then released. This stops them breeding and helps to control the stray population - unfortunately they still do the poison here as well!!

That is exactly what happens here - except that the scheme is run by a charity, and therefore limited in it's scope.

Thanks Magalan - at least the charity is helping and I can appreciate they need all the help and support they can get - I will check my end again as I am sure I read somewhere that our neutering program got some funding from abroad. If I find the info I will post it on this thread

lancslass: I am so sorry, I had a dog poisoned many years ago and I know how you feel - I am still paranoic about risk to the dogs I have now.

However , here we go yet again, on the same old subject which has been covered so often on press and other websites with thoughtless accusations thrown around.

1. There have been numerous petitions to the Government. However, the fact is that farmers and shepherds have to live - and wild dogs cats,andt, vermin, are a risk to their livelihood and they are rife here. Anyone who has tried to rid their house of simply small mice (as I am doing at this moment) will realise that killing humanely is an expensive, messy, time consuming and uncertain business. Until we have an ideal world when priorities are humane rather than purely mercenary and the drug companies spend resources on finding a cheap and accessible, speces selective, alternative to poison to eliminate pests that does not cause suffering, poison will be used to protect crops and livestock. Currently it appears from the media some of the drug cartels sacrifice human well being let alone animals to the god Mamon.

2. Rats and mice are also a major problem for food processors. People would scream loudly if they found droppings in ther dinner. How are they supposed to get rid of vermin?

3. There is cruelty to animals everywhere - Just ask the RSPCA. At least the farmers and shepherds do not particularly aim at domestic animals. However, niether do they use expensive meat as bait,nor normally place it on domestic premises. This may be individuals , including expats, who obect to what they perceive as nuisance from dogs.

4. Strays have been a problem in Cyprus for 50 years to my knowledge and probably a lot longer. Partly due to Brits abandoning animals. There have been numerous efforts at neutering (a team of trainee vets from a Scottish University sacrificed holidays several years running to come here and neuter animals in the 90s), However it is something many Cypriots are not comfortable with and one has to respect their culture - I think the children are now being educated but it will take at least a generation. Also this is an Island, and approaches and cooperation to international agencies have to be bi-communal! Otherwise the silly animals will just hop across the border to do their "courting" without even bothering to report to passport control.!

My dogs are all neutered and kept firmly in a walled and fenced garden, they seem perfectly happy , though they wish I could manage more walks - but my neighbours seriously think I am being cruel preventing them from living a natural life. Its a pity they cant talk and tell us which they would prefer.

Thanks for all your kind words. Really strange not having Madge about but time is a good healer.
She is now buried in the garden.

well done for taking such a sane and sensible attitude,Lancslass

I am sure you can also comfort yourselves with the thought that even if her life was cut short, you gave her a happy and comfortable and so much better than manyanimals get.

It also helped me when my dog was poisoned to have to care for and comfort his adopted sister(although possibly I was a bit over protective for a while). Now she lies by his side under the shade of trees in my garden (old age andnatural causes in her case) and three other happy little dogs play in the garden. Please dont let this sad experience put you off giving good home to another needy dog.

I love dogs, as I do all animals.
But I don't like dogs so much when the newly acquired dog next door woke me up at 2am-3am 4am etc.
And then continues to whimper pathetically all day because the poor animal is shut in a yard all day.
I cannot speak Turkish(my fault I accept), so I cannot remonstrate with the dogs owners, who seem to be absent from the property for most of the time.
I am reliably told that If I complain to the Bele nothing will happen.
My only recourse to get some peace would be to deal with the problem another way -If you get my meaning.
Any alternate and more pleasant for all involved advice would be greatly appreciated.

Philoz,

I am afraid Cyprus is a noisy place, and animals are just part of it.

However, if the dog is new and young, it will be very lonely and maybe crying for its Mum and time will help. Another problem is cats - I have three dogs and the cats come and yowl at them - I swear they do it deliberatelyto tease the dogs ! - and of course the dogs bark. I have had to keep my dogs indoors at night and when I am out to stop them barking at cats - but it can be very inconvenient and of course not everyone who is caring for strays is able and willing to do so and I am still woken up by the cats!
If you find some way of chasing cats away without harming them, please tell me! Also people walking past my windows on the way back from the nearest watering hole shouting at each other and waking the dogs.

Are the neighbours always away - at night? - maybe they do not realise the dog is making so much noise. Do you know any Turkish speakers who might be prepared to intercede and explain. Could you tactfully donate some doggy toys (NOT the squeaky ones!) and soft bedding without causing offence - helps to get a young animal to settle. Neednt be expensive, dogs are quite happy with old blankets etc. from Charity Shops.

Are you near enought for the dog to hear YOU? Maybe talking to it on a reassuring tone will help it to settle. Dogs like to know people are near them.

If not, I am afraid you will just have to accept that you chose to live in a different culture by moving to Cyprus and you have to take the rough with the smooth - and buy some ear plugs, Winter is coming and you will be able to close the windows and bury your head ina duvet, thick curtains also muffle sound as well as defeating drafts, and things may have changed by summer.

I hope your penultimate sentence was a joke - if not shoot the dog if you are prepared to take the consequences - and can shoot straight - but do not use poison. It does not kill straight away - it causes the animal many hours of torture and those of us who have seen a dog suffer tend to lose our sense of humour on the suject.

Meanwhile tell the dog it is lucky and to stop complaining! A lot of dogs dont even have the luxury of a yard to run in, but are chained up or caged - or have no home at all.

As somebody who loves TRNC,it makes very sad to continually read about the way animals are treated there.

As extreme as it may seem to some,and judging by some of the recent posts on the subject,I am sure it does,it is the main reason we are not living there now-and probably won't holiday there again.

We have seen for ourselves too many instances of neglect and cruelty to ever want to live with it as part of every day life-a different culture-IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE!!!