A microchipped cat disappeared from the Larnaca district and was later traced to a property in Pyla, where it was found in poor health, its identification tag removed and other animals held in cages, the Movement of Ecologists – Citizens’ Cooperation said on Friday.
The Ecologists are calling on police to investigate the incident immediately, raising questions about how the cat came to be at the property and whether other animals found there had also been taken from their owners.
According to the party’s statement, the cat’s owners had fitted it with an identification tag bearing their contact details and an AirTag tracking device.
When the signal led them to the Pyla address, they arrived to find the cat, in the presence of police officers, along with a number of other animals, some of which were in cages.
The cat was no longer wearing its identification tag, and conflicting accounts were given about the circumstances of the incident, the statement said. The animal was subsequently taken to a veterinary clinic due to a health problem.
The Ecologists said the case had already been brought to the attention of police headquarters, but asked why officers present at the scene had not immediately summoned all competent authorities to establish what was taking place.
They called for a full investigation into the conditions under which the cat was brought to the property, the purpose for which it and the other animals were being kept there, and whether any of those animals were being sought by their owners.
The party also pointed to a separate case involving the disappearance of cats at a well-known supermarket, stating that a letter sent to the Chief of Police by party President Papadouris on the matter had received no response.
The Ecologists said citizens across Cyprus were reporting cat disappearances on a daily basis, adding to the concern of animal welfare advocates.
Anthi Mouzouri, coordinator of the party’s Animal Action Group, said: “The investigation of such incidents is a matter of transparency, animal welfare and public trust in institutions, and cannot be delayed or leave critical questions unanswered.”
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