Third arrest after cat shot dead in Paphos

A third arrest linked to the death of a cat in Paphos that was found to have been shot with 13 pellets was announced by police on Tuesday. Initially an 18-year-old was arrested, followed by a second person of the same age, while later in the day a 16-year-old was arrested in connection with the same case. The latter two teens are expected to appear before court on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Paphos district court on Tuesday remanded the first person arrested for four days. All three are being investigated for offences including conspiracy to commit a misdemeanour and felony, illegal possession and transportation of a firearm and explosives, and firing a weapon in a residential area. A 56-year-old man reported on Sunday that he had found his cat dead near his home. Members of the animal police and Paphos central police station inspected the scene. A postmortem examination found that the cat had been hit by 13 pellets. The first 18-year-old was arrested on Monday. Officers searched his home and confiscated several items. Following the arrests, the Animal Party called for stricter, effective and deterrent procedures for the possession and use of weapons, demanding the highest possible level of control. “The protection of human life and the protection of animals are not different matters,” it said. It also called for a stricter assessment of the suitability of those applying for or holding a gun licence, effective control of the safe storage and use of weapons.