Animal Party Cyprus called on Tuesday for tighter checks on gun ownership and use after a cat was found dead in Paphos with 13 gun pellets in its body, warning that people could also be put at risk.
Police have arrested two 18-year-olds over the cat’s killing.
The party said it had repeatedly raised gun ownership and use with the state and asked for stricter procedures that would be effective and act as a deterrent. It noted that police are investigating, among other things, whether a gun was fired in a residential area, and warned that this alone should concern everyone. Protecting human life and protecting animals are not separate issues, it argued, and the responsible management of weapons is a matter of public safety.
The party wants stricter checks on owning and using firearms, including a rigorous assessment of whether those applying for or holding a licence are fit to do so, and effective checks on how guns are stored and used. It also called for immediate and strict enforcement of the law where guns are used illegally, more checks and prevention around shootings in residential areas, and closer cooperation between police and the Cyprus Animal Police, so that every case of an animal being abused or killed with a weapon is treated with due seriousness.
It is not enough for someone to be arrested after an incident has already happened, the party said, calling for prevention, checks, deterrence and political will. It stressed that it was not prejudging anyone’s criminal liability and expected the authorities to complete their investigation and the courts to rule according to the law.
A cat hit by 13 pellets was not “just another incident” but another serious warning, the party added, suggesting Cyprus might also need the help of psychologists and sociologists.
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