Cyprus’s Civil Defence has banned pets from public shelters, citing the large numbers of people using the facilities and the risk to those with animal phobias or allergies, Director Maria Papa said.
Speaking on Alpha Kalimera, Papa said the decision was taken because shelters must accommodate a large number of civilians, among them people who may be afraid of animals or suffer from allergies.
However, she indicated the authority is reconsidering the policy. “We are having second thoughts about whether we can designate some shelters with signage indicating that people who wish to can bring their pet — but it will take time to reach a conclusion because we need to look at many aspects of the issue,” she said.
Papa acknowledged the ban has triggered a backlash, with many people saying they would rather stay at home than leave their pet behind. She confirmed that assistance dogs would be exempt from the ban and permitted to enter shelters.
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