Shelter Volunteer Crisis in Cyprus: Call for Support for Legal Process and Animal Care

Animal Rescue Cyprus (ARC), operating in the Paphos region of Cyprus and formerly known as Paphiakos & CCP Animal Welfare, is facing significant challenges due to a vital shortage of volunteers and ongoing legal processes regarding disputed land ownership. The association operates as an official charity with a civil society organization structure, including a veterinary clinic and connections with international organizations like EUROPETNET and IPATA. However, the increasing number of animal intakes and the dramatic decrease in volunteer participation in recent periods have severely strained the organization's operational capacity.

ARC's Communication and Marketing Manager Sumani Ochse stated in a statement that there has been a marked increase in the number of animals brought to the shelter this year compared to last year, while there has been a shocking 90% decrease in the number of volunteers. This imbalance highlights the urgent need for more people on the ground to run the shelter's daily operations. The shelter management emphasizes that it is becoming increasingly impossible to carry this heavy burden alone with existing staff and resources, and that community support is needed to prevent animal care standards from dropping.

Another, perhaps more long-term threat facing the shelter is the ongoing litigation process regarding the ownership of the land on which it operates, the hearings of which have been closed. Although I do not have concrete information about the court process at the moment, the administration is working on alternative scenarios against a possible evacuation. Ochse stated that potential plans for establishing a new shelter in the Ayia Varvara region are being discussed as a possible Plan B, but it is currently unclear whether this new facility will be managed by local governments or by the government.

Despite all these legal uncertainties and logistical difficulties, ARC's basic principle is that animal care cannot be interrupted while waiting for the legal processes to conclude, and operations must continue without interruption. The shelter houses various species such as horses, donkeys, goats, rabbits, and cats, with dogs constituting the most vulnerable group requiring more time and attention. There are currently a total of 600 dogs at the shelter, including those already owned, under the institution's supervision until they find new homes.

Shelter officials have announced an urgent search for volunteers who can help with tasks such as cage cleaning and dog walking, dedicating at least an hour of their time, especially after 5 pm. Among the dogs are breeds like Pit Bulls and Rottweilers that cannot be mixed with others and require special care and attention. However, the common point of all animals is their basic need for medical care, food, and love. Ochse, stating that ARC's priority is always animal welfare, added that the well-being of the animals will remain the focus even during this difficult process.