The Animal Party threatens to bring 2,000 animals to the Presidential Palace over the demolition of a shelter in Paphos

Party leader Kiriakos Kyriakou has warned of a plan to bring around 2,000 animals to the Presidential Palace if authorities do not find a government parcel of land to relocate the shelter in Paphos. The statement was made at a meeting of the Yeroskipou municipal council on Thursday.

The Party insists on the allocation of a state-owned plot to transfer animals from the Paphos shelter, which is slated for demolition by court order, according to Kyriakou. As a temporary measure, he proposed distributing the animals to other licensed shelters to avoid risks to their survival.

A representative of the Ministry of the Interior is expected to propose specific state parcels for this purpose at the meeting. Kyriakou said that if the proposed solution is rejected, the Party will resort to a demonstration at the Presidential Palace.

The Paphos shelter has been operating for almost 40 years and currently holds about 2,000 animals including donkeys, horses, dogs, cats, goats, rabbits, hedgehogs, guinea pigs and ponies. The land under the shelter has been returned to its owners, and a court has ordered its demolition, making the urgent search for an alternative necessary.