POISON ALERT - Catalkoy

maria1


Joined: 19/10/2009
Posts: 167

Message Posted:
27/11/2011 12:23

My Cat Leyla has been missing since Tuesday Morning. I have been searching all week. A friend has just called me to say that 8 cats were poisoned and found dead on Tuesday. Location around the area of The Lodge Restaurant- Catalkoy. My husband has just spoken with the owner and he confirms that 7 of the cats they feed were poisoned and 6 died. They have burried their cats. He also has been told a further 4 cats in foot ball pitch behind were found dead.



I am totally devastated as I do not know if Leyla is one of them but I know in my heart she is one of them. I will keep searching and if anyone has any suspision or finds a sick cat please try and help it.



More alarming is the fact that children play foot ball in that pitch. Any parent please ensure your child washes their hands regularly.



Final message to the disgusting, sick sadist who has no respect of life I hope you receive back to you the evil you have dished out and you live in hell in on this earth and for eternity.

Lor49



Joined: 12/11/2009
Posts: 82

Message Posted:
27/11/2011 12:43

I hope and pray that you find Leyla safe and well. I feed and spay the stray cats near to my home, and one of my concerns is, that as a group feeding they can be easily targeted by the sicko's. So sad to read about the deaths of more innocent animals

I totally agree with your final message.

maria1


Joined: 19/10/2009
Posts: 167

Message Posted:
27/11/2011 15:46

thank you

















back tp top

smwredd


Joined: 07/10/2009
Posts: 260

Message Posted:
27/11/2011 16:08

If you have no objection we will post this location on our Petition website. Please sign if you haven't already done so.

maria1


Joined: 19/10/2009
Posts: 167

Message Posted:
27/11/2011 16:17

Sylvia



Please do. It is important as many people are aware of this.



Many thanks



Sandra

BizziLizzi


Joined: 02/08/2011
Posts: 855

Message Posted:
27/11/2011 18:34

Maria. Thank you so much for the warning. I actually visited the Market at the Lodge this morning, and thought that next week I could take my dogs with me and walk them before visiting the market (they are happy to stay in the car after). No I know not to!



Just a thought - since an area seems to have been targeted where there is a direct risk to humans - and particularly children - has anyone contacted the Management of the football club to advise them of the poison risk?



My sympathy Maria, I know what it is like to have a loved animal poisoned.

smwredd


Joined: 07/10/2009
Posts: 260

Message Posted:
27/11/2011 19:24

Thank you Maria, location posted. We are making the point in the Petition that it is only a matter of time before a child dies, but our thoughts are with you.

maria1


Joined: 19/10/2009
Posts: 167

Message Posted:
27/11/2011 19:31

We will advise them and the local autorities. Am sure will fall on totally deaf ears



What is so sick is that it is next to a restaurant, supermarket and cemetery. Children often stroke the cats. What if that child gets sick or even worse dies. Sadly it will take the death of a Cypriot child for the government to wake up and actually do something about it and by then it will be too late. Yes this may sound racist but as we know us foreignors will pay the price first.



To all out there please sign the petition docmartintrnc.net/petition ............ and stop this cruel and slow death





Angry, hurt and lost all faith in this country

BizziLizzi


Joined: 02/08/2011
Posts: 855

Message Posted:
27/11/2011 23:12

Maria I understand how distressed and bitter you must feel about your pet, and wont start now on reasons and responsibility of the poisonings and appropriate action.





Leaving aside the fact that animal welfare is not a priority for the auhtorities, I have ben thinking about this case and it seems that if the cats have died on the football pitch they may well have contaminated the ground - and the players will pick it up on their hands through direct contact with the ground or through theball or changing their boots. Some of these poisons are virulent enough for a trace to make a grown man seriously - even fatally - sick. If this can be got over to the Beledeyesi and Football Clubs, might it just not concentrate their minds?

smwredd


Joined: 07/10/2009
Posts: 260

Message Posted:
28/11/2011 07:27

Maria, totally agree with you on your comments. Unfortunately, it is just as bad in the South, I have linked with an organisation there which shows the extent of the poisonings on a map and it makes pretty horrific viewing. The South is in the EU and the poison is banned by them, hence I shall be contacting the appropriate person at the EU to find out why more is not being done to enforce this ban. I have over 1000 signatures but want to make this figure well over 2000. Link to petition is http://docmartintrnc.net/petition so please help us get to this number.

maria1


Joined: 19/10/2009
Posts: 167

Message Posted:
28/11/2011 16:55

BizziLizzi



Yes that is my point and If 12 cats have died it must be very strong poison.



Is life so cheap that the government do not care? Is it simple ignorance and inconvenience? Better education starting at schools. As said before sadly until there is a human fatality the government nothing will be done and then suddenly they will wake up and be up in arms as to how could this possibly happen.



Thank you for all posts and the 365 views but I thought such a strong topic would get more hits than this. Maybe it is too close to my heart. People appear to be more interested in general topics than what is actually happening and a danger to all. I should have started it with something like "Naked" am sure the topic would have got some interest.



Sandra

maria1


Joined: 19/10/2009
Posts: 167

Message Posted:
28/11/2011 17:13

BizziLizzi

If you do want to walk the dogs safely. Continue past the Lodge and along that road. Go past the 1st 2nd turnings on the right and continue to almost to the end of the road. Just before the road turns there is a gap on right hand side that takes you to the runway strip. Lots of people walk their dogs there and we also walk our dog. The shepherd has sheep and Goats so is a safe place. Along the runway further down after the goat shed is a small bay and again safe for dogs to paddle. Friends of ours cleared that area of beach up. This is why I was so surprised that Leyla went missing. I did not think she would go the Lodge end of the road as normally she is in fields behind our home or neighbors gardens.

BizziLizzi


Joined: 02/08/2011
Posts: 855

Message Posted:
28/11/2011 17:57

Maria: Message 12. Thanks. Actually the runway used to be my favourite place for walking dogs although I approached it from the other end. A perfect place - lots of space for them to run around and used for various recreational purposes by locals who never object to the dogs.



And level walking which due to arthitis I need - sadly I can no longer scramble down to beaches.



Unfortunately I heard recently - I think it was a post on this Board - that poison had been found there too , since when my poor dogs have been grounded.



As a matter of interest do poisons which affect dogs and cats (and humans) also affect goats and sheep, bearing in mind the latter are vegaterian? I suspect not, otherwise we would certainly hear compaints about these animals being killed.

BizziLizzi


Joined: 02/08/2011
Posts: 855

Message Posted:
28/11/2011 18:01

Maria:



I have actually never been to the Lodge (Sunday was my first visit to the market there) so I hve no axe to grind but I did hear a suggestion that the restertaunt might have been responsible for the poisoning. Since reading your original post I see it was cats they were feeding that were killed. Could you make this clear for their sake as rumours spread so easily.

maria1


Joined: 19/10/2009
Posts: 167

Message Posted:
28/11/2011 18:05

As far as am aware the poison will affect all animals. We have not heard of any dogs poisoned from the runway and lots of my friends walk there every day twice a day. I see same people daily walking dogs there and they would not put the dogs at risk. For you and shopping the runway would be a good place to walk.

maria1


Joined: 19/10/2009
Posts: 167

Message Posted:
28/11/2011 18:09

The Lodge are NOT responsible for the deaths of these cats. They were just as upset as they feed the strays. They have burried their dead cats. The Lodge also have lots of families with young children who use the park, they would not do this.

BizziLizzi


Joined: 02/08/2011
Posts: 855

Message Posted:
28/11/2011 18:12

smwred messag l0 and Maria message ll



In my message 9 I expressed sympathy and understanding for Maria at losing a pet to poison, since it has happened to me, and under these circumstances I can understand her feeling bitter.



I deliberately avoided commenting on the politics of the situation to avoid yet further agruements.



However I must make it clear , however, that I am distressed by the ranting at Cypriots as a race and the Government and feel that it is doing damage to community relations and a seriously disadvantaged country through lack of understanding of the whole picture.



I feel particularly strongly about this because since living here I have had far more compassion and help from Cypriots with my problems - including those with animals - than I have from the Expat community , including some who make a song and dance about being charitable.



Cruelty to animals is not restricted to Cypriots - sadly it appears throughout the whole human race .. continued

BizziLizzi


Joined: 02/08/2011
Posts: 855

Message Posted:
28/11/2011 18:21

just read some of the cases the RSPCA has dealt with



I strongly support approaches to the TRNC authorities and initiatives to encourage education about animals and poison.



However these should be within the country. I strongly disapprove of involving South Cyprus and believe approaches the the European Community will be harmful and counter productive.



I signed the on line petition in good faith on the understanding that it was to be submitted to the TRNC Govenment. If it is to be used for approaches to external organisations I do not wish to be associated with it.. smwredd please let me have an off Board contact to enable me to delete my name..

maria1


Joined: 19/10/2009
Posts: 167

Message Posted:
28/11/2011 18:42

I think the most important message to be acknowledged is the fact there is posion in this area. Lots of children play in the area. Football is played by adults and children. Anyone in this location please be aware and be careful. Ensure you wash your hands regularly to avoid contamination. If you fell at all unwell with sickness or bad tummy go straight to the doctor and inform them posion was in the area. This message could save somebody's life. Even if you do not live in Catalkoy please tell as many people as possible so the word spreads. I live here very close to the Lodge and it took 5 days for me to hear of it and only found out because my cat went missing.

BizziLizzi


Joined: 02/08/2011
Posts: 855

Message Posted:
28/11/2011 19:08

Yes Maria message l9 and againthanks for drawing attention.



I think one of the people you saw walking dogs was probably me, before I heard of poison in the area, Demonstrates how important it is to get facts right. Which reminds me KAR have poison alert on their site - are they aware of this instance?



I will try to do some research on sheep and goats - they could be a useful indicator of safe areas, but I suspect their digestive systems work differently.

smwredd


Joined: 07/10/2009
Posts: 260

Message Posted:
28/11/2011 20:44

BizziLizzi - the Petition is ONLY being submitted to the TRNC Government and not any other Government. I was only making a point that South Cyprus is no better when it comes to poisoning pets and they too have the same problem. Let me know if you still wish to have your name removed, it is your prerogative to do so but I would be disappointed if you did.

BizziLizzi


Joined: 02/08/2011
Posts: 855

Message Posted:
29/11/2011 00:01

...Unfortunately, it is just as bad in the South, I have linked with an organisation there which shows the extent of the poisonings on a map and it makes pretty horrific viewing. The South is in the EU and the poison is banned by them, hence I shall be contacting the appropriate person at the EU to find out why more is not being done to enforce this ban. ...



smwredd: I took your post quoted above as meaning that you intended to extend your protest to the EU. If you want to do that as an individual that is your decision and right. However personallly I do not believe that we should be taking internal TRNC affairs outside the country and do not want to be associated with anys uch initiative. If the petition is solely related to TRNC issues (ie poisoning within the TRNC) and addressed only to the TRNC Govt. then I support it and applaud your efforts. contd............

BlueButterfly


Joined: 03/11/2011
Posts: 160

Message Posted:
29/11/2011 00:07

MARIA1. So sorry about Leyla and the lodge cats. I like all animals but confess to a preference for cats. I think that the low viewing on your post is because the majority of ex pats here do not like cats. If you look through previous posts you will find things like, LITTER OF KITTENS FOUND response IGNORE THEM, THEY WILL GO AWAY. But a bitch having pups in a ravine or 1 dog wandering in a village will generate hundreds of responses, and no effort spared until everyone is assured that the dog/dogs are being fed and watered and kept warm. If you want your topic viewed, I think just the word DOG IN NORTH CYPRUS, would get a better response than even NAKED.

My kindest regards to you.

BizziLizzi


Joined: 02/08/2011
Posts: 855

Message Posted:
29/11/2011 00:12

I hate cruelty to animals and am aware it occurs everywhere and applaud those who tackle it, but the reasons need to be understoood, but is a subject perhaps too complicated to tackle here.



However where it occurs in agriculural areas and takes the form of poison it is usually done with no deliberate intent to cause suffering but by people of perhaps liited education imagination who are trying to protect their livestock and crops and and hence their own livelihood and the welfare of their families. Either the poison is aimed at preditors such as foxes and rats and picked up accidentally by pet animals or dogs and cats are themselves seen as vermin.



This needs to be tackled by education and by the provision of more humane methods of control which are practical and affordable , This is not an easy task ,particularly for a Government labouring under the difficulties of that of the TRNC and I do not think it is apprpriate for non nationals to be too dogmatic in telling hem what

BizziLizzi


Joined: 02/08/2011
Posts: 855

Message Posted:
29/11/2011 00:21

do, The most we can imho is to stress to them our concern at the suffering that is being caused and the attendant dangers to human life and be perisistant in requesting tighter conrols on the more virulent poisons.



What is really upsetting me is the increasing evidence , by way of increased incidents of poison, types of bait used and location, that the poison is not all being laid by farmers and shepherds and the like to remove vermin, but by people with less understandable motives who are deliberately targetting pet animals such as dogs and cats. This is supported by the number of posts from people who obviously wish to change this country into a sanitized dog and cat free zone, and have little conscience about the damage they do to culture and jpeople in the process.



Intriguied by Maria's theory that areas where sheep and goats graze are safe from poison I did some reseach - not very well I am not giftedin the use of IT! I have however established that herbivorous animals

BizziLizzi


Joined: 02/08/2011
Posts: 855

Message Posted:
29/11/2011 00:26

will not necessarily suffer the effects of the same poisons as carniverous ones such as dogs and cats and certainly not be attracted by the same baits.



What is really truly terrifying when one starts looking into the subject is the effects of the food chain of pesticides on thewhole food chain - eaten by herbivores, cows etc and passed on the carnivores such as dogs and humans who can be poisoned at second hand! It is a large and frightening issue

BizziLizzi


Joined: 02/08/2011
Posts: 855

Message Posted:
29/11/2011 00:37

BlueButterfly



Guilty! I prefer dogs to cats! But it does not mean I dont like cats or ignore their sufferings. I just have too many animals than I can cope with to take on another of any species. And being more famiiar with the care of dogs I can possibly make a more useful contribution to a post about dogs than one about cats.



I think the reason for the lack of response to Maria's post is that the majority of us have just about reached saturation point with the plight of dogs and cats that we are unable to help and the sad majority would be only too pleased to see the entire dog and cat population of the Island removed from their sight and hearing.

smwredd


Joined: 07/10/2009
Posts: 260

Message Posted:
29/11/2011 07:41

BizziLizzi - if you like to email me with the name you put on our Petition then I will gladly remove you from it.

maria1


Joined: 19/10/2009
Posts: 167

Message Posted:
29/11/2011 13:56

Poison alert I thought would attract attention and why in the heading I did not mention cat or dog. It is sad that people are so naive. Poison is a danger to all including humans, birds, wild life etc. Anyway we can't save the world and can only try and make it a better place to live.

smwredd


Joined: 07/10/2009
Posts: 260

Message Posted:
29/11/2011 16:46

Maria, I shall continue to do my best on this issue and you were quite right to put the heading you did. Alerted us to place it on our map showing recent poisoning areas. Someone put this on our Care2 petition -



The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." - Mahatma Gandhi.



Very true.



Sylvia

maria1


Joined: 19/10/2009
Posts: 167

Message Posted:
02/12/2011 11:15

Thank you all for your kind messages.



Leyla has been found alive and well. İ do not know how but 2,5 kılometers away from home.



Sandra x

smwredd


Joined: 07/10/2009
Posts: 260

Message Posted:
02/12/2011 15:20

Great News. So glad she has been found safe and sound.

MsGarnet


Joined: 04/01/2009
Posts: 989

Message Posted:
02/12/2011 15:38

"Sadly it will take the death of a Cypriot child for the government to wake up and actually do something about it and by then it will be too late. Yes this may sound racist but as we know us foreignors will pay the price first."



Whether one is a cat lover or not (I'm not - my dogs never used anyone else's garden as a toilet - other peoples cats do, all the time, just one reason...) perhaps one reason there is a lack of response to this thread, is Maria's risible polemic above...

BizziLizzi


Joined: 02/08/2011
Posts: 855

Message Posted:
02/12/2011 18:59

I am so glad that Maria 's cat has been found unharmed, it is understandable that she said unwise things when she was upset.



However I do believe the reason for lack of response is that others share my worry (that a reasonable . even laudable concern about animal welfare appears to be turning into yet another spiteful attack on this country , it authorities and people by those who have not taken the trouble to understand the culture or the issues) and do not want to be associated with it.

smwredd


Joined: 07/10/2009
Posts: 260

Message Posted:
02/12/2011 22:22

This is not a ‘spiteful’ attack on anyone, there are many people on this Island who have been left traumatised by the horrific death of their beloved pet by poisoning. It has to be admitted that there is a big problem with stray dogs and cats; this is mainly due to the fact that locals will not have their pets spayed or neutered as this is against their culture and we have, of course, to respect this view but it has left the Island with a big problem. Poisoning is not the answer as this is used indiscriminately and therefore pet animals become a target and die in the most horrible way as a strychnine based poison is used. The other side of this problem is that it is only a matter of time before a child will die after innocently touching the bait containing poison. EVERY effort must be made to stop this happening.

The Government does have some legislation in place to stop the sale of these poisons but , in the main, this law is flouted. We are asking the Government to act to legisla

jbarnett


Joined: 05/04/2008
Posts: 108

Message Posted:
04/12/2011 22:20

So pleased Leyla was found safe, but very distressed to hear about yet more poisonings. Also sad to hear comments above (msg33). I appreciate that some people prefer dogs to cats or vice versa, personally I love ALL animals and none of them deserve to suffer a painful death. I didn't realise that dogs only used their own gardens to go to the toilet and are programmed not to go anywhere else on the island , as, after living here for 10 years I have seen plenty of dog mess on the beach, in the road, in the garden (from stray dogs roaming about). So please don't use that as an excuse to be anti-cats, as any animal will deficate when they feel the need to go , funnily enough they don't do it as a personal vendetta against their neighbours. In other words, poisoning ANY animal is unacceptable and should stop, there are NO excuses.

teatime


Joined: 20/10/2008
Posts: 852

Message Posted:
04/12/2011 23:16

I'm also so pleased your Leyla was found, and I'm also an "all animal" lover, in fact I'm truely beginning to feel that I prefer animals to humans, especially after what I've just read in another closed post about someones beloved dog and the cruel remarks that one member made.

BizziLizzi


Joined: 02/08/2011
Posts: 855

Message Posted:
04/12/2011 23:34

Apologies in advance for straying slightly off topic. when I lived in England - and couldnt keep pets because of other commitments -my garden was ruined by cats using it as a toilet and scratching up plants. Dogs didnt because the garden was fenced and most dogs coulnt get into it, but all my neighbours cats could get over the fence - THAT is the difference. I tried alll sort of deterrants but none worked. I would never poison or hurt an animal (I cant even poison mice) but if I could have put the fear of the devil into those cats without actually injuring them I would have been very tempted to do so.

teatime


Joined: 20/10/2008
Posts: 852

Message Posted:
04/12/2011 23:40

Best thing, and harmless, is a water pistol. Trouble is you have to be able to be there to catch them doing it. I had the same problem in England, my cat used next doors garden, but their 3 cats used mine, so they won really.

MsGarnet


Joined: 04/01/2009
Posts: 989

Message Posted:
05/12/2011 04:51

jeni - post 36 - you're too old to write nonsense as to be "sad" I dislike cats - other posts have people who also aren't cat lovers - doesn't make us heinous, it just means we have preferences. I have never been a cat lover, and that was BEFORE I caught toxoplasmosis from cat faeces in my garden, when I was pregnant! My daughter could well have been born blind or had a plethora of other conditions, because someone else's animal came uninvited into MY garden, to defaecate and leave. Dogs CAN be trained to only use their garden as a toilet, none of my dogs ever were, but I always cleaned up after them, if it happened outside our house. Neither I, nor most other people, are responsible for the mess left behind by feral or abandoned dogs - that is down to a small tranche of indigenous AND other folk, and in common with most people, if I found an injured cat, I would take it to a vet, and having had a pet poisoned (it died) in our family, I can hardly be accused of condoning poisoning!!

billlfc



Joined: 04/11/2008
Posts: 69

Message Posted:
05/12/2011 08:31

I am a very good friend of tim [ the owner of the lodge ], he was very upset when he found his dead strays he feeds.

I go to his bar every day and he would never hurt a cat or dog.



i hope maria1 you find your loveing pet , best whish's bill.

davpat


Joined: 23/08/2011
Posts: 225

Message Posted:
05/12/2011 13:01

with regards to a timber or wooden fence panel,if you can fit a single strand of wire about 6" from the top of the fence panel all along the fence line,you will find that no cat can get into your garden by this method,they will have to dig under the fence.



May help,



David

blade


Joined: 19/06/2010
Posts: 1286

Message Posted:
05/12/2011 14:07

In the UK they sell sonic sound boxes which are ment to deter cats. I think they are around 40 quid so anyone who doesn't like cats it could be a good investment.

I personally live in an agricultural area and we have very minimal instances of poisoning. Sheep can die from it as well , so why would farmers use it?

When poisoning does occur it usually is because there is a dog which belongs to someone and it is being a problem. Before it happens the owner is usually told many times by many people to take charge of their dog. If they fail to do that, then this is when poisoning happens.

In agricultural areas if your dog is killing lambs or chickens the most likely thing to happen is it will be shot. The use of poison is not often used.

Keep your dog on a lead and under control and you have much less chance of anything happening to it.