Overview

• Environment Minister Maria Panayiotou raised annual sterilization funding to 300,000 euros on Oct. 4 after warnings that current efforts fall far short.
• The existing program performs about 2,000 sterilizations a year on roughly 100,000 euros, a capacity officials concede is below real needs.
• State Veterinary Services asked municipalities to map hotspots to target resources more effectively, acknowledging program limitations.
• Veterinary Association leaders propose a unified, clinic-led plan with streamlined procedures, a tracking app, and a donations fund, estimating control within four years.
• Animal groups report practical hurdles such as trapping difficulties—especially for females—and say recent round-ups, including 397 cats in Nicosia, barely dent numbers.