Neutering plan for about 70 cats at central prisons stalls over €5,000 funding gap

Nicosia, Cyprus. Plans to neuter about 70 cats living at the central prisons have stalled because the approximately €5,000 needed for the programme has not been secured, the Animal Party said on Sunday.

Preparations completed

The party said it had completed preparations with the relevant authorities, including obtaining permission from the acting director of the central prisons. Its president had also contacted the relevant ministers, the environment commissioner and the veterinary services to coordinate the programme and set a date.

The party said neutering would help control the cats’ population, prevent uncontrolled breeding and improve animal welfare at the prison.

Call for a funding solution

The Animal Party described the delay as an example of excessive state bureaucracy, saying a relatively small funding gap was holding up a programme otherwise ready to proceed. It said the state repeatedly acknowledges the need to address the stray animal population but has been unable to move forward with this initiative.

The party called for a legal and transparent way to provide the funding, saying it was not seeking preferential treatment or asking for established procedures to be bypassed. It also urged President Nikos Christodoulides to intervene and ask the relevant authorities to find a solution.