Dogs and noise

cant believe we are the only ones who have views on this phenomenon....we are absolutely surrounded by howling yapping barking dogs who are kept locked up all day long not even excersized until november when the hunting season starts.....

so anyone who comes here - please take note of any tin huts or wooden sheds that are close by or within earshot of your future home as they probably house hunting dogs - if you see them move on walk away - police and municipality seem to be powerless to do anything or just dont, wont or dont want to do do anything,...... so be warned

Thanks Toon. That's good to know about the dogs...I hate barking dogs!

No it's not just in Cyprus that the problems of dogs and noise exist, trust me!

It's a worldwide problem and one that is most prominent in developing nations. I can assure you that if you're having problems coping with it there in the EU then don't ever dream of coming to Brazil, you'll be ready to jump off the tallest bridge you can find in a matter of days. All Central and South American, Asian, Middle Eastern and African countries also share this problem,

You may want to check your local bylaws (municipal) to see if there is any possibility of finding some relief there. Perhaps your municipality may have an anti-noise bylaw (remote possibility) or a bylaw limiting the number of dogs that one may own without having a kennel or breeder's license. I once lived right across the street from a family that had no less than 6 dogs, despite a bylaw limiting ownership to 3 without a kennel license or breeders permit. They barked 24/7 non-stop.

Other than that you're pretty much going to have to suffer through it, use industrial earplugs as much as possible and crank up the volume on the old tele (but for your neighbors' sakes not too loud please, because they're probably suffering just like you are).

If you think you've got it bad, well read this following topic thread and take consolation from it, no matter how bad things are they could always be worse:

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 765#823194

Cheers,
William James Woodward, Expat-blog Experts Team

South East Asia is the same too.

am sure we are not alone in this  - it is a world wide issue for sure... but it seems like nobody in the cyprus forum seems to want to comment.. or make noises of their own to combat it.... or is it FUTILE as they ve been through it all before and am the newbie on this matter... if so would someone like to enlighten me?

update - i have had the Police out, the Municipality have been out too  - they assure us the dogs are within the law (ie licensed microchipped and shock collared and within numbers) but am not that trusting....mainly because as a dog owner previously i know the howls and barks of different dogs and their is more than the permitted two in each of the two locations involved .... ok they may be hunters who can be allowed more but the laws here state if a nuisance can be proved they must take action and that includes removal of the dogs...plus the barking continues every twenty minutes and goes on from 3-4am until 8-9pm every single day without fail...... so it will now go into formal written complaints to both Police and Municipality... complete with recordings of the events.

You may want to also consider, in addition to any written record of events, either audio or even better video recording the disturbances. Making sure that your recording device shows a correctly calibrated date/time stamp. This is especially useful should it ever become necessary to take the extreme measure of court action to resolve the problem. Usually if you do all the right homework and have substantial documentation and solid evidence of the disturbance this should be sufficient to force authorities to take the appropriate remedial action without going the court route. That said, it's always better to be more prepared than your adversary who's probably going to just deny everything. That's kind of hard to do when you have video of HIS/HER dog barking at 3:30 am. They can only try and deny that the animal filmed is indeed theirs, and that's not gonna fly in any courtroom!

It's really a big problem since the locals have grown up in this culture and have become immune over many years to the barking. They don't even notice it anymore, much less consider that it might be extremely annoying for people who come for other countries that take respect for one's neighbors and their rights to peace and quiet seriously. They somehow can't seem to wrap their heads around the idea that their rights end where they interfere with the rights of others.

Funny, I've never seen a bad dog, just a whole lot of bad dog owners, people that should never be permitted to have animals in the first place.

weill interestingly i had a meeting with the Municipality yesterday and they took me down to the site to show me the culprits and kennels. (hmm like I didnt know who and where they were!!!!!)... anyway one kennel had 4 dogs in it and was filthy, dogs romping about in their own filth.... but they did have shock collars (am not a lover of those as means of control)....and then the second kennel with 8 dogs in four large 8x8x8 pens - 2dogs per pen - each had a covered enclosed area for sleeping and I have to say they looked much better clean organised and the dogs looked very very well cared for wth fresh water an food in place...however all had collars but they were not shock collars... the warden made a phone call to instruct the purchase of them and now we have to wait and see. .....

i also know for sure now that the laws are being bent to suit the hunters requirements.... and of course as is usual we are simply foreigners interfering with their own own country's pastimes etc....

cest la vie

Sadly the noisy howling yapping barking dogs problem still exists in the Peyia area  - the municipality doesnt seem to ant take any serious action - token gestures and lip services seems to be the way they wish to continue - so if thinking of holidaying buying or renting here.. please ask the questions about this  - as it wont be offered to you - and check the area out before renting or buying..... look for large outdoor sheds concrete steel or timber as they will likely house dogs.... lots of them,

Wow, sorry nothing is being done.  Are you staying in Peyia area?
See you when we get there.

yes we are in the Peyia area.. and you are right the municipality arent doing a great deal other than visiting the culprit but then it starts all over again.... no long term solution has been offered yet so have raised the matter with a local councillor and she will accelerate the matter and probably end up having fines issued..... then if that fails the next step is removal of the dogs..

I hope it can be resolved for you.

fingers crossed we dont have to go down the route of removal of the dogs  - i really wouldnt want that..

Hope that doesn't have to happen.

me too - all most people want is for the dogs to be controlled by their owners and not ignore the rights of the other residents to have unrestricted peaceful enjoyment of their home

In August 2011, on my personal blog, I reminisced about a big hurricane ("Ivan") that swept our Caribbean island in 2004. Here below is an extract from the piece that I titled "The silence of the dogs". I haven't changed my opinion since, by the way. I was brought up with dogs in the Australian bush, who knew their place and didn't bark out of turn. As somebody wrote on this thread, it's largely a cultural thing. Because yard-dogs are a part of Caribbean culture, and I choose to live in the Caribbean, I put up with them: but not happily!

Strange to tell, I don't recall ever being kept awake at night by barking dogs in the weeks after Ivan. Our neighbours were responsible enough to keep their dogs quiet; that's what neighbours should do, after all. Barking-dogs are the bane of my life, and I can't be the only person in Cayman who hates being kept awake by them, or woken up by them. There is a strong whiff of sociopathy about people who allow their dogs to bark during the night or early morning. (Sociopaths are defined as people who don't give a damn about other people.) I don't blame the dogs. Dogs are social creatures, and get lonely when left alone for hours in a confined space. Indeed, there is a strong whiff of cruelty in doing that to one's dogs. Humane Society, are you listening?
I don't kill dogs, even barking-dogs. However, plenty of people do kill barking-dogs. You read about dogs being poisoned in their yards and beyond, and why else would they be killed except to shut them up? Poison might well account for the silence of the dogs after Ivan. If so, we can probably expect more of the same after the next hurricane. Responsible owners' dogs will be okay: sociopaths', perhaps not.

i dont believe for one moment its a cultural thing at all..... its pure cruelty as they are cooped up all day every day  - not even walked or socialised  - they dont see anyone for at least 12-16hrs a day, then maybe an hour to wash the kennels out then cooped up again until morning when theyre then fed....... hunting season here seems to be for 2 days per wednesdays and sundays each week for two months thats all....... the families who own them dont treat them like pets but tools for their so called pastime of hunting rabbits and birds...

what is cultural is the organised ignoring of complaints from nearby residents against the inconsiderate owners for lack of control over them - I do not for one moment blame a dog for acting the way they do when theyre really not at fault.. the media generally say there is a cat problem or a dog probelm when really it is solely a people problem

Just to update our readers the problem is still ongoing and hasnt subsided at all in fact it has got worse  - so anyone coming to Peyia  - staying for holiday or thinking of moving here be very aware of this issue and ask the owners if buying and landlords if renting if this problem exists - and ensure it forms part of the contract that if it exists all bets are off.

To this end I have been forced to start a website for it and facebook pages too... its ridiculous and nobody in authority seems to want to know, thus it seems to be eminating as a fear factor as locals with the issue are afraid to complain in case of reprisals.

http://peyiabarkingdogsnuisance.simplesite.com/

Toon wrote:

i dont believe for one moment its a cultural thing at all.....

We are going to have to differ about the "cultural thing", Toon! three years ago I wrote a piece on my personal blog  that tackled this point: There has always been a huge cultural difference between the customs of towns and countrysides. What counts as good, practical sense in rural settings is often frowned upon in urban ones, and vice versa. (The whole piece can be Googled at "Barlows Cayman Town and Country" - including the quotation marks.)

I gave examples of the different interpretation of the term "cruelty to animals"; I have been a country-dweller and a townie, so I can see both points of view. I detest barking dogs, and their owners, but I do understand them. In your village, it may well be that the custom of allowing dogs to bark incessantly existed before you moved there. If so, the native villagers might well have a definition of "cruelty" than you do.

yes well we will have to differ Gordon... when you hear what i hear every day and am not just talking barking am talking dogs being beaten, left to lie and sleep in their own dirt all day every day ... and as far as i am concerned its not acceptable in modern day Cyprus... townie or country waller

I will never understand why or how anyone can keep and treat animal this way . sorry.

OMG.  What an awful thing...the cruelty and the barking!

Further update - letters of complaint now submitted to the Ombudsman citing lack of action from the authorities Police and Municipality.. i.e not applying and enforcing existing Cypriot dog laws where annoyance or nuisance exists.

Complaint has been acknowledged now and a formal complaint number issued  - currently being assessed for actions.... so we shall see what happens

and new website as the original didnt have the safety security features required to protect the members identities

http://peyiabarkingdogsnuisanceprotestgroup.webs.com/

Further update to situation in Peyia.....

Have now, moved house incurring financial losses, after 7 months of hell and an abject failure of the Peyia Municipality, Police, Warden, and Ombudsman to act accordingly in applying THEIR laws regarding annoyance caused by dogs....

Now we have silence except birdsong and the rustle of leaves in the wind. We can start with peaceful enjoyment of our home......its oh so quiet and lovely to be able to sit outside with friends and have a meal and drink.

SO A BIG THANK YOU TO PEYIA MUNICIPALITY FOR FORCING ME TO INCUR AND ACCEPT FURTHER COSTS UNNECESSARILY......

Toon wrote:

Further update to situation in Peyia.....

Have now, moved house incurring financial losses, after 7 months of hell and an abject failure of the Peyia Municipality, Police, Warden, and Ombudsman to act accordingly in applying THEIR laws regarding annoyance caused by dogs....

Now we have silence except birdsong and the rustle of leaves in the wind. We can start with peaceful enjoyment of our home......its oh so quiet and lovely to be able to sit outside with friends and have a meal and drink.

SO A BIG THANK YOU TO PEYIA MUNICIPALITY FOR FORCING ME TO INCUR AND ACCEPT FURTHER COSTS UNNECESSARILY......

Sorry to hear that... where did you end up moving to?

still in the same  village but away form the source of the barking baying yelping yapping hunting dogs.... and oh so quiet

Just a few words that even if you hear a dog barking please investigate it isnt always these annoying dogs  - - - it can and may be someones house being burgled... There has been a marked increase in burglaries in the Peyia area - even to the point of breaking in whilst the occupiers are watching tv.. mainly jemmied patio doors and window even the ones with shutters fitted  - and usually taking cash passports jewellry and small light weight electronic goods... and most have had damages done to the property whilst ransacking it... so be aware and take care all.... so please be wary be alert be suspicious of anyone acting strangely - ie we have seen guys taking photos of properties with and without cars parked....especially those with red plates

this is so important in proving annoyance and a criminal act has taken place.... but then even if you do what guarantee is there that the law will be upheld.... and why must one have to take it to court... the municipality has the responsibility to act but it rarely if ever does so..... and thats criminal in itself.
COURTESY OF THE APC - THANKS
ANOTHER IMPORTANT COURT DECISION
Hard to prove of the continuous and nuisance of a dog barking
A decision of the Judge Mrs Stella Messiou (District Court of Nicosia)
in case 23073/13 dated. 01.09.2015.
NOT GUILTY THE ACCUSED OWNER OF THE ANIMAL
Δύσκολη η απόδειξη οχληρίας από συνεχές γάβγισμα σκύλου
Από την απόφαση της δικαστού του Επαρχιακού Δικαστηρίου Λευκωσίας,
Στέλλας Μέσσιου στην υπόθεση 23073/13, ημερ. 9/1/2015
ΑΘΩΩΘΗΚΕ Ο ΚΑΤΗΓΟΡΟΥΜΕΝΟΣ
Α) Τι σημαίνει ο όρος «σκύλος»
Β) ΟΙ διαφορές μεταξύ δημόσιας και ιδιωτικής οχληρίας.
Γ) Να αποδειχθεί κατά πόσο ο κατηγορούμενος επιτρέπει ή ανέχεται όπως ο σκύλος του προκαλεί θόρυβο με ηχηρό και συνεχές γάβγισμα που προκαλεί οχληρία στο κοινό
Οποιοδήποτε πρόσωπο επιτρέπει ή ανέχεται όπως ο σκύλος, του οποίου είναι ιδιοκτήτης ή τον οποίο έχει κάτω από τη φροντίδα του, προξενεί θόρυβο με ηχηρό και συνεχές γάβγισμα που προκαλεί οχληρία στο κοινό είναι ένοχο αδικήματος.
Τα παραπάνω υπέδειξε η Δικαστής του Επαρχιακού Δικαστηρίου Λευκωσίας Στέλλα Μέσσιου εκδίδοντας την απόφασή της στην υπόθεση αρ.: 23073/13 ημερ. 9 Ιανουαρίου 2015. Επίσης η Δικαστής επικαλέστηκε το άρθρο 2 του Ν. 184(Ι)/2002 προκειμένου να αναλύσει τον όρο «σκύλος» που περιλαμβάνει κάθε σκύλο φυλής και γένους ηλικίας άνω των τριών μηνών.
Α) Επομένως το πρώτο πράγμα που θα πρέπει να διερευνηθεί σε μια υπόθεση οχληρίας από σκύλο είναι η ηλικία του.
Β) Στη συνέχεια εκείνο που θα πρέπει να διαπιστωθεί είναι κατά πόσον ο κατηγορούμενος επιτρέπει ή ανέχεται όπως ο σκύλος του προκαλεί θόρυβο με ηχηρό και συνεχές γάβγισμα που προκαλεί οχληρία στο κοινό.
Στην υπόθεση Σάββας Κωνσταντίνου ν. Αστυνομίας (1998) 2 Α.Α.Δ. 216 υιοθετήθηκε στη σελίδα 222 το πιο κάτω απόσπασμα από το σύγγραμμα Russell on Crime 12η έκδοση, τόμος 2 σελ. 1.387: «Η οχληρία ή η ενόχληση σημαίνει οτιδήποτε το οποίο προκαλεί βλάβη, στενοχώρια ή ζημιά. Οι οχληρίες είναι δύο ειδών: Δημόσια ή κοινή οχληρία, η οποία επηρεάζει ουσιωδώς το κοινό, και αποτελεί ουσιώδη ενόχληση για όλους τους υπηκόους […] και ιδιωτική οχληρία, η οποία μπορεί να προσδιοριστεί σαν οτιδήποτε το οποίο προκαλεί ουσιαστική ανησυχία και ενόχληση, σε οποιοδήποτε άτομο κατά τη χρήση για συνηθισμένους σκοπούς της κατοικίας του ή της περιουσίας του».
Η ίδια διάκριση, σύμφωνα με την κ. Μέσσιου, γίνεται στο σύγγραμμα Blackstone's Criminal Practice (2003) σελ. 528 παρ. Β 11.96. «Η βασική διαφορά, λοιπόν, της δημόσιας από την ιδιωτική οχληρία είναι ότι η πρώτη επηρεάζει το κοινό σε αντίθεση με τη δεύτερη που περιορίζεται στην ενόχληση που προκαλείται στον γείτονα κατά τη χρήση της περιουσίας του»
Συνεπώς η οχληρία από γάβγισμα σκύλου αποτελεί δημόσια οχληρία, αφού ρητά αναφέρεται ότι ο θόρυβος από το γάβγισμα θα πρέπει να προκαλεί ενόχληση στο κοινό.
Απόδειξη αρκετών σημείων χρειάζεται το άρθρο 18(ε) του Ν. 184(Ι) 2002 που προνοεί ότι «οποιοδήποτε πρόσωπο επιτρέπει ή ανέχεται όπως ο σκύλος του οποίου είναι ιδιοκτήτης ή τον οποίο έχει κάτω από τη φροντίδα του προξενεί θόρυβο με ηχηρό και συνεχές γάβγισμα που προκαλεί οχληρία στο κοινό είναι ένοχο αδικήματος».
Η δικαστής προσθέτει. Για να αποδειχθεί η οχληρία από γάβγισμα σκύλου, δεν αρκεί η μεμονωμένη μαρτυρία του παραπονούμενου αλλά χρειάζεται μαρτυρία που να καταδεικνύει την δημόσια έκταση της οχληρίας.
Στο σύγγραμμα Blackstone's Criminal Practice (2003) παράγραφος Β11.102 αναφέρεται «προκειμένου να στοιχειοθετηθεί πως διαπράχθηκε το αδίκημα, είναι απαραίτητο να καταδειχθεί η ουσιαστική δημόσια φύση της οχληρίας. Είναι σαφές ότι δεν χρειάζεται να αποδειχθεί ότι επηρεάζεται το σύνολο του κοινού. Αλλά πρέπει να στοιχειοθετηθεί ότι η πράξη ή παράλειψη ήταν αρκετά διαδεδομένη ή άνευ διακρίσεων ώστε να θεωρείται δημόσια παρά ιδιωτική οχληρία».
Περαιτέρω επισημαίνει η δικαστής, το καθοριστικό και ουσιαστικό στοιχείο του αδικήματος είναι η απόδειξη ότι ο ιδιοκτήτης του σκύλου «επιτρέπει ή ανέχεται να γαβγίζει συνεχώς ο σκύλος του κατά τρόπο που να προκαλεί οχληρία στο κοινό. Στην προκειμένη περίπτωση το παραπονούμενο πρόσωπο είχε καταθέσει στο δικαστήριο ότι όσο ο ιδιοκτήτης του σκύλου όσο και άλλα μέλη της οικογένειας του προσπαθούσαν να ελέγξουν τον σκύλο τους όταν αυτός γάβγιζε και έκανε σχετική αναφορά στον ίδιο τον κατηγορούμενο, στην γυναίκα του αλλά και στον γιό του, χωρίς όμως να το κατορθώνουν.
Επομένως σύμφωνα με την κατάληξη της κο Μέσσιου, οι ενέργειες του κατηγορουμένου να ελέγξει τον σκύλο του δείχνουν ότι αυτός ούτε επέτρεπε ούτε και ανεχόταν τον σκύλο του να γαβγίζει. Κάτω από την εξέλιξη εύρημα-εύρημα έγινε δυνατή η αθώωση του κατηγορουμένου ιδιοκτήτη του ζώου.
ANOTHER IMPORTANT COURT DECISION
Hard to prove of the continuous and nuisance of a dog barking
A decision of the Judge Mrs Stella Messiou (District Court of Nicosia)
in case 23073/13 dated. 01.09.2015.
NOT GUILTY THE ACCUSED OWNER OF THE ANIMAL
Difficult proof of intrusive sounds from continuous dog barking
By the decision of a judge of the District Court of Nicosia,
Stella Messios in case 23073/13, date. 9/1/2015
ATHWWTHIKE THE KATIGOROYMENOS
(A)) What is meant by the term "dog"
B) differences between public and private intrusive sounds.
(C)) to establish whether the accused allows or tolerates as the dog causes noise with strong and constant barking that causes ochliria to the public
Any person who permits or tolerates as the dog, which owns or has under his care, causes noise with strong and constant barking that causes ochliria in public is guilty of an offence.
The above indicated by the Judge of the District Court of Nicosia Stella Messios by issuing its decision in case No.: 23073/13 date. 9 January 2015. The Judge also invoked article 2 of law No. 184 (I)/2002 in order to analyze the term "dog" that includes each dog breed and race over the age of three months.
(A)) So the first thing that should be investigated on a case of intrusive sounds from the age of the dog.
B) then what should determine whether the accused allows or tolerates as the dog causes noise with strong and constant barking that causes ochliria in public.
In case Savvas Konstantinou n. police (1998) 2 adopted on page 216 A.A.D. 222 the below excerpt from the book Russell on Crime 12th Edition, volume 2 pp. 1,387: «the ochliria or discomfort means anything which causes harm, heartache or damage. The residents concerning nuisance is of two types: public or common ochliria, which materially affects the public, and is a significant nuisance for all nationals [...] and private ochliria, which can be defined as anything which causes substantial worry and annoyance to any person during use for ordinary purposes of residence or of his property ".
The same distinction, according to Mrs Messios, becomes in Blackstone's Criminal Practice textbook (2003) pp. 528 Fri. (B) 11.96. "The basic difference, well, public private ochliria is that the first affects the public unlike the second limited to nuisance caused to the neighbor during the use of his property"
So the dog is barking ochliria of public ochliria, having explicitly stated that noise from barking should be causing nuisance to the public.
Several points need proof article 18 (e) of s. 184 (I) 2002, which provides that "any person who permits or tolerates as the dog which owns or has under his care causes noise with strong and constant barking that causes ochliria in public is guilty of an offence".
The judge adds. To demonstrate the ochliria of dog barking, not just the individual testimony of paraponoymenoy but we need evidence to demonstrate the public land of intrusive sounds.
In Blackstone's Criminal Practice textbook (2003), paragraph (b) 11.102 refers ' in order to establish that the offence was committed, it is necessary to demonstrate the essential public nature of intrusive sounds. It is clear that you do not need to prove that influenced the whole together. But you have to establish that the Act or omission was quite widespread or indiscriminate as to be considered public rather than private ochliria ".
Further notes the judge, the vital and essential element of the offence is proof that the dog owner "allows or tolerates constantly barks to his dog in a way that causes ochliria in public. In this case the person complaining had testified in court that as the owner of the dog and other family members were trying to control their dog when he barked and made reference to the accused, to his wife and his son, but without realising.
Therefore in accordance with the conclusion of Mr. Messios, actions of the accused to control his dog show that he neither allow nor tolerate his dog barking. Under evolution finding-finding was possible acquittal of the accused the owner of the animal.

At long last the Ombudswoman has finally accepted there is an issue with barking dogs in the Peyia area. She has acknowledged that the matter of barking dogs has reached great proportions as a result of many reports and complaints to her.. She has instructed the Municipality to investigate and to act in accordance with the laws to stop this nuisance.

so we shall see what the mayor will do

That's Great!  Perhaps that will be a president for all Paphos!?

some how i doubt it Jess... it seems that efforts to get things rolling are being met with a lot of anger from the animal welfare peeps...

i can understand it though

Toon wrote:

some how i doubt it Jess... it seems that efforts to get things rolling are being met with a lot of anger from the animal welfare peeps...

i can understand it though

Unfortunately this is exactly what happens in any developing nation where the government caters to the "bunny huggers", always expats who are the vocal minority, over the needs and wishes of the local population.

Look at the Mauritius Forum for example. The island is overrun by feral dogs that present a significant danger of attack and disease, especially to children and the elderly. The animal activists on the island (almost exclusively your fellow countrymen) scream long and loud whenever the local government tries to do anything to rectify the problem. They've virtually stifled the catch and kill program, insisting that catch, sterilize and release program is the only solution. Simple math proves that it would take at least 8 years doing sterilizations 24/7 for this to have any effect. Yet they manage to block the government at every turn. Anyone who has the courage to speak in favor of the government policy is branded a pariah.

It's probably exactly the same way there in Cyprus too, I'm sure if you dig deeper you'll find that it's the small expat population that's stirring the pot and preventing any action toward resolving the problem. Sad to say, in many cases we move to a country and end up making things much worse for the locals.

Cheers,
James

This isnt about feral dogs, nor is it about doemstic dogs James, this is specifically about hunting dogs being kept in numbers in cages in residential areas and not always kept in good conditions...with little or no other interaction - human or otherwise.....

i can understand the animal welfare worries if the authorities did actually apply the existing laws as most local nationals who own these dogs would simply destroy the animals in front of any complainer... then go and get new ones....

same can be said to be true of the authorities as they themselves are not exactly sympathetic towards animals either  = maybe its a med thing and these animals are simply tools and a means to an end... to be disposed of when their use is no longer required or important...

its a sad indictment indeed....in the modern world.

We live in apartment block adjacent to another apartment block - there is just a walkway dividing the two buildings. We know of a small dog that is kept in a 1-bed apartment 24 hours a day - OK it is let out onto the verandah for about 1 hour in the afternoon when the owner returns to the apartment. The owner does not sleep in the apartment, so is immune to the dog's high pitched barking throughout the day and night. Barks right through the night to 3.00 - 5.30am about 3 times a week. So basically the dog is left alone 23 hours a day since the middle of March, and does all it's 'business' either in the apartment or on the verandah. I live in the Paphos area - who do I contact?

Trouble is people will not complain - they just move away.

your first port of call should be the local authority as they have the ultimate responsibility to deal with this - if its becoming a real noisy nuisance then call the police but it wont be much use unless the owner is there.. they now have the ability to fine owners approx €85 per day....if that fails you can call the government vet... this is after all animal abuse...

if the authority dont act then the last port of call is the ombudsman

good luck

for things to change people must stand up and be counted - - remember this....... for evil to exist  - all it requires is for good men to do nothing

Thank you for the information which I have passed on to the people in the apartment block where the dog is located.

Great news in that we had a meeting with the landlord earlier in the week and the dog has been taken away to live in a proper home. So many people round here hardly speak any English it was easier for me to describe what had been happening and the impact just one abandoned dog had on the surrounding neighbourhood.

well done  = am pleased that a quiet word in the right place worked for you and peaceful enjoyment of ones home has been restored - without harm to anyone or the animal.