Animal police investigating ‘barbaric’ killing of pet cat in Ergates  

Animal police are investigating the killing of a cat in Ergates on Thursday, police said on Twitter on Friday following complaints from the Green Party that law enforcement was dragging its feet on a particularly barbaric case of animal abuse.

In a message on Twitter, police said that immediately on being informed about the killing of a cat at Ergates village in the Nicosia district on Thursday afternoon, officers had sped to the area to investigate.

“The case is being investigated with full awareness and seriousness by members of the animal police,” the statement concluded.

Earlier, the Greens had issued a hard-hitting statement condemning a barbaric act of animal abuse. Their statement was accompanied by horrific photographs of the mangled body of the cat.

The party said they had been informed directly by involved individuals that a couple they knew had violently killed their cat and then thrown the body in the rubbish.

The closest police station was notified. Police asked the owners of the cat to take the body to the station. The Greens said there had been no further developments after that, with the family still waiting for the police to act.

“We consider that there has been delay on behalf of the police. We call on the authorities to act immediately and decisively so that the case is taken to justice for exemplary punishment of those responsible for this act. If there was a real animal police, this case would already be before the attorney-general,” the party said.

The Greens said they would be keeping a close eye on the case until justice is served. “We expect the chief of police to take over the case personally and for all legal measures to be taken so that justice is done,” the party concluded.