Forest Department director Savvas Iezekiel convened an inter-service meeting today to tackle stray dogs in the Paphos state forest.
The department says the dogs are attacking the protected Cyprus mouflon, chasing wildlife and endangering visitors and staff.
The department wrote to a series of authorities, including the Police Chief, the Game and Fauna Service, the Veterinary Services and the District Local Government Organisations of Nicosia, Limassol and Paphos, asking them to take part.
The department’s letter, dated June 23, 2026, said the problem has become especially serious, directly affecting an area of the highest ecological and management importance. It raised particular concern over threats to the protected mouflon, saying the uncontrolled presence of dogs was causing ongoing disturbance and chasing of wild animals.
The letter also flagged risks to the safety of visitors and staff who move through the forest daily. It raised public health concerns too, since stray dogs carry serious zoonotic diseases such as echinococcosis.
The issue is linked to the welfare of the dogs themselves, the department said, as well as potential abandonment by owners, checks on ownership, the collection of strays, their temporary custody and further management by the relevant authorities.
Monday’s meeting is not meant to be a routine procedural discussion. Its aim, the letter said, is to establish a common, practical and workable framework for managing such incidents, rather than addressing individual cases in isolation. Officials want a clear procedure that can be applied directly in the field, backed by defined roles and points of contact for each service.
Existing legislation already lets the Police and the Game and Fauna Service kill stray animals at their own discretion, under the strict condition that immediate and uncontrolled damage to wildlife or livestock premises has been established. The Forest Department wants to activate, and in some cases systematise, these procedures in the Paphos forest too, seeking to have dogs proven to pose a threat put down to halt damage to the forest ecosystem.
Recording the current situation
Officials will review the existing situation and documented attacks to date.
Reporting and notification procedures
They will also set out a clear reporting process and immediate notification chain for the relevant authorities.
Roles of each service
The meeting will clarify who does what: the Police, the Game and Fauna Service and the Veterinary Services will each get defined roles depending on the incident.
Collection and temporary custody
Officials will agree a procedure for collecting, transporting and temporarily housing the animals involved.
Checks on ownership
The meeting will also cover checks on microchipping, ownership and possible abandonment of the dogs.
Handling dangerous or injured dogs
Officials will set out how to handle dangerous, injured or aggressive dogs.
Preventing abandonment
They will also discuss preventive measures to curb abandonment of animals in the forest by irresponsible owners.
Informing the public
The Forest Department plans to inform neighbouring communities and the wider public once the framework is agreed.
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