A draft bill obliging owners to neuter their pets out on a two month public consultation, aims to establish a single up-to-date legislation according to Agriculture Minister Vangelis Apostolou.
One of the provisions of the bill is that neutering of pets will be made compulsory, with licenced exemptions at a fee of 100 euro per year.
The bill also stipulates that during trips and walks owners will have to carry the animal’s passport, which will replace its health certificate. At the same time, the pet must also be microchipped (cost 6 euros according to the announcement but in practice vets charge more ) and registered in the ministry’s database.
Recognising the benefits of the compulsory neutering, Natassa Bompolaki, President of the Federation points out in a press statement that there is a lot wrong with the bill, enough to alert animal welfare organisations across the country.
Mrs Bobolaki in her statement points expresses concerns about the abolition of five member local committees, which is seen as opening the way to euthanasia programmes, and that the process of adoption of stray animals to homes in Europe where thousands of strays are re homed every year will be made harder.
Limits on the numbers of pets will lead to an increase on the numbers of strays as people will abandon more animals Mrs Bobolaki argues.
Vets will also be prevented from legally treating animals that are not microchipped.
