Fourteen-month prison sentence for kangaroo butcher

A 37-year-old man was handed a 14-month prison sentence by the Famagusta court on Tuesday, after being found guilty of animal abuse and slaughtering a Kangaroo.

Police said the incident was uncovered on the afternoon of May 7, when a tip-off led officers to the parking area of an apartment building in Dherynia.

There they discovered the dismembered carcass of an adult kangaroo, along with an axe, and several knives.

According to veterinary examinations, the remains were confirmed to belong to a kangaroo, raising concern over how such an animal had been acquired and kept on the island.

Officers arrested the individual at the scene, while a second man fled before they could apprehend him.

The accused later admitted he had obtained the animal from a smuggler in Paralimni.

Further checks revealed that he had been living in Cyprus illegally since his asylum request was rejected in 2022.

The court ruled that the combination of illegal habitation and unlawful butchering of an animal warranted a prison sentence.

Police emphasised that ruling should send a strong message that animal abuse is treated with zero tolerance.

The prosecution comes amid a broader investigation into the sourcing of exotic animals in Cyprus.

In recent years, concerns have been raised by animal welfare groups about unregistered facilities and the keeping of exotic species outside regulated environments.

Only three officially registered zoos are permitted to house such animals, and since 2021 owners of exotic species have been required to register them under updated legislation.

Importing or selling exotic species without permits is also illegal.

Authorities are continuing to investigate how the kangaroo arrived at the premises, whether it had been legally kept, and whether additional animals may have been housed or sold for consumption.

Officers have taken statements from individuals linked to an animal facility in the wider area, where other exotic species were reportedly being kept, and enquiries are ongoing into the possible involvement of further suspects.

Police reiterated that butchering any animal outside an approved slaughterhouse is prohibited due to public health risks and animal welfare regulations.