Oroklini Police have opened an investigation after kittens in a park in the Livadia area of Larnaca were apparently shot with an air gun, following a complaint filed by a local resident.
The complaint was filed by Eirini Antoniou, a resident of the area and editor-in-chief of the local website Larnakaonline.
She said residents had noticed kittens limping in the neighbourhood park for some time but had been unable to catch them. The kittens were born a few months ago and local residents had been feeding them.
“We managed to catch a kitten yesterday and found that it had been shot in the leg,” Antoniou said. “It is a small kitten born a few months ago and we had been putting food out for them.”
Police officers attended the scene on Tuesday and began their examination. Antoniou said she also reported the incident to the Deputy Mayor of Livadia, Marios Armenis, who told her he had received no similar complaints from other areas. “The police came and we hope that whoever did this will be deterred,” she said.
Antoniou and neighbours who own pets are caring for the injured kitten and the other cats in the area. “Those who carry out such acts are cowards. You cannot put into words such actions,” she said.
Animal abuse complaints in Larnaca district have been on the rise in recent months, according to Phileleftheros information.
