A woman in the coastal village of Zygi has filed a police complaint after her dog was nearly poisoned by a piece of meat laced with chemicals found outside her home, reports Sigma TV.
Georgia Pittaka said her roommate was walking the dog when it grabbed the meat, which had been placed just beyond their fence. The animal showed signs of poisoning within minutes, but a neighbor was able to administer emergency treatment.
“The vet told me the poison was so strong that if a child had touched it and then put their hand in their mouth, it could have caused serious harm,” Pittaka said, according to Sigma.
She believes the intended targets were stray cats, but warned that all animals — and children playing nearby — are at risk. “Leaving poison in a residential area is a crime,” she said.
Pittaka said other residents have also reported incidents, including one woman who lost her pets after poison was thrown into her yard. A formal complaint has been filed with the Zygi police station.
“It’s unthinkable that in 2025, in a European country, people are still throwing poison in residential neighborhoods,” she said.
LANNATE
Cyprus has faced a persistent problem with animal poisonings for decades, often involving the illegal use of highly toxic substances like Lannate. Although methomyl, the active ingredient in Lannate, was banned under EU law in 2008, it continues to circulate, frequently smuggled from the Turkish-occupied north.
The poison is commonly used in bait targeting stray cats and dogs, but it has also harmed wildlife and domestic pets. Cases of mass poisoning have been reported across the island, with some incidents resulting in the deaths of protected species. Residents and animal welfare groups have repeatedly raised concerns about the danger to children, especially in residential areas where poisoned meat is left in public spaces.
Despite public outcry and police investigations, enforcement remains inconsistent. Activists argue that the continued use of banned poisons reflects a deeper failure to treat animal welfare as a serious public safety issue.