Cyprus authorities discuss new regulations for hunting dogs

Environment and Animal Welfare Commissioner Ilias Myrianthous met with senior officials from the Game and Fauna Service on Tuesday, September 15, to address the management of hunting dogs and stray animals in Cyprus. The meeting, which included the service’s head Pantelis Hadjigerou and officers Petros Anagiotos and Panikos Panayides, focused on enhancing oversight of hunting dogs accompanying licensed hunters.

Key discussions centered on mandatory microchipping and identification for all hunting dogs. Participants also explored the use of approved traps for capturing stray dogs and proposed initiatives to encourage hunters to sterilize their animals, aiming to curb uncontrolled breeding and the subsequent abandonment of dogs. Furthermore, officials identified a critical need to integrate the veterinary services' official registry with the electronic platform managed by the Game and Fauna Service, which oversees hunting license issuance and dog registration.

These measures represent a broader effort by the government to improve animal welfare standards and standardize data management across relevant authorities. While the meeting concluded with a commitment to improving cooperation, officials emphasized that streamlining these digital systems is a priority to ensure better monitoring and enforcement of existing regulations.