Zoo reflects ‘outdated’ policy, says Animal Party

Keeping animals in cages is part of an “outdated” mentality, the Animal Party said on Saturday in a memorandum to the Limassol mayor demanding the closure of the local zoo.

Protestors gathered once again outside the Limassol zoo at around noon to call for its closure, citing a series of scandals related to animal deaths at the facility.

“Animals did not commit a crime to be kept in prisons against a backdrop of immense sadness,” the party’s memo addressed to Limassol mayor Nicos Nicolaides said.

It added that animals should not be “exposed for the entertainment of people and children under the pretext of educating them”.

Among other things, the memorandum said the imprisonment of animals is an outdated situation and mentality.

In Europe, it added, they have failed to implement the relevant European directive, resulting in zoos being closed, while in our country “we have failed to implement national legislation”.

In zoos animals become psychotic, sick, fall into decline and die slowly and painfully, the party said demanding a decision be taken immediately to close the zoo.

In its place, the party called on the municipality to proceed in cooperation with the Animal Party and The Garden is Ours group to redesign the entire public garden and transform it into an area in which everyone can benefit.

The latest animal death was that of a deer, after its antlers were caught in a metal mesh around the tree, which should not have been there, according to the Animal Party.

This resulted in the animal’s “slow and agonising death” which shows the “unacceptable negligence and irresponsibility of people in charge,” the party added.

The first protest took place in December, where demonstrators said they will continue until the zoo is closed down.