Cat neutering volunteer had heavy metal trap thrown at her head, CVA says

Local animal welfarecatspolice Cat neutering volunteer had heavy metal trap thrown at her head, CVA says New Cat Disappearances Reported As Ecologists Demand Probe, Accuse Police Of Inaction Relevant News Cat neutering volunteer had heavy metal trap thrown at her head, CVA says 11 June 2026 Second police officer arrested in major Limassol money laundering probe 11 June 2026 Cyprus law to licence recovered water use with fines up to €20,000 11 June 2026 Daniel Zambartas 11 June 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber Cyprus Voice for Animals has shed further light on the harassment that led it to suspend its operations, in an interview with en.philenews. It has also been claimed that a police officer called to a heated cat-capture incident reportedly asked: “What is TNR, and why are you picking up cats?”, potentially highlighting the need for more education on the subject. How did this start? The chain of events that led to the suspension appears to have begun in February, when claims spread on Facebook that cats had been stolen from outside a Lidl shop. According to Danae Kaza, a Cyprus Voice For Animals Association representative, the claims quickly went viral and led to wider accusations against animal rescuers. Some social media users alleged that volunteers were not rescuing cats, but taking them for profit or sending them abroad for experiments. She said the online accusations soon spilled into real-life confrontations. Volunteers began facing residents who shouted at them, accused them of stealing cats, threatened them online and, in some cases, physically attacked them while they were trying to collect stray cats for sterilisation. What is TNR actually trying to do? Cats need to be sterilised to control the stray population, reduce animal suffering and prevent the issue from becoming a wider public health and social problem. When stray cat numbers grow beyond manageable levels, more animals are left sick, hungry or injured on the streets. This can also create problems for communities, especially when untreated animals are carrying parasites or viruses. The volunteers carry out TNR, which involves catching stray cats, sterilising them and returning them to the same area. Why have they been forced to suspend operations? The CVA say they have been forced to suspend operations because volunteers are no longer able to carry out cat rescues and sterilisation work safely. Kaza said that after repeated online accusations and suspicion around animal welfare work, volunteers began facing residents who came out “shouting” and “attacking” them. She said there had been “many, many threats on Facebook”, with volunteers accused of stealing cats whenever an animal disappeared from a neighbourhood. And according to Kaza, the hostility has moved beyond verbal abuse. She said volunteers have been pushed, hit and, in one case, had a heavy metal trap thrown at their head. In another incident, she said foreign volunteers who had gone to a neighbourhood for a TNR programme were surrounded by residents who were “screaming at them”, while the volunteers “couldn’t understand what was happening” or why they were being attacked. Referring to a case in Larnaca, Kaza said a volunteer wearing a rescue T-shirt was trying to capture a cat with a broken jaw when three women challenged her and demanded to know where she was taking it. “That’s why we came to this point,” Kaza said. “The people are so threatening. We have to stop. We can’t risk our lives anymore. Now it’s a matter of life or death.” What are the police doing about it? If you ask the CVA, the answer is not enough. That’s why they have sent a letter to the Ministry Of Agriculture calling for official authorisation or ID cards for volunteers, clear police guidance and state recognition of their work before operations resume. Kaza believes the state has largely left them to manage stray cat work without enough protection or official backing. She said authorities “don’t do anything” while volunteers are left “to do all the work”, despite local authorities often calling rescuers to capture animals themselves. She also said the police response has sometimes made the situation worse. In one incident, Kaza said two foreign volunteers carrying out TNR work were surrounded by residents and the police were called. Instead of protecting the volunteers, she said officers forced them to release five cats they had trapped for sterilisation and took them to the police station late at night, despite the law allowing volunteers to collect stray cats for TNR and return them afterwards. Kaza also said the incident showed a wider lack of awareness among authorities. When she called police to explain that the women were registered volunteers carrying out Trap-Neuter-Return work, an officer allegedly asked her: “What is TNR, and why are you picking up cats?” She said volunteers will not resume work until authorities take responsibility, issue proper authorisation, and inform police, veterinary services and the public about what TNR is and why it is carried out. The Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment (MOA), said to en.philenews in a statement: “Further to your email to the ministry of Agriculture press office we would like to thank you for reaching out and for giving us the opportunity to comment on this matter. “The Ministry unequivocally condemns any acts of harassment or hostility directed toward animal welfare volunteers. We have already received a formal letter from the animal welfare organizations detailing their concerns, which is currently being reviewed and will be officially answered by the competent department of the Veterinary Services. “The Ministry of Agriculture Rural Development and Environment, remains deeply committed to supporting the invaluable work of animal welfare organizations, as well as to fostering public awareness and empathy from the early school ages, through specialized educational programs in schools. “Regarding incidents of public harassment, we strongly urge that such behaviours be reported directly to the Police, who are the competent authority responsible for handling and investigating these matters.” Subscribe to our Newsletter Latest News Second police officer arrested in major Limassol money laundering probe Cyprus law to licence recovered water use with fines up to €20,000 Motorcyclist hits pedestrian in Nicosia, leaving woman seriously injured Ankara uses Cyprus problem to pursue EU goals while blocking Brussels from talks Shots fired at car parked outside Paphos home Dog law in chaos after parliament restored stray killings and scrapped microchipping rules Things to do on Thursday, June 11 Follow en.philenews on Google News and be the first to know all the news about Cyprus and the world.