The Famagusta District Court sentenced a 37-year-old man to 14 months in prison on Monday after he was found guilty of animal abuse – specifically involving a kangaroo – and of illegal stay in the Republic.
A police announcement states that the case was uncovered on the afternoon of May 7, 2025, after information was received about the dismemberment of an animal in the parking lot of an apartment building in the Famagusta area.
“Members of the police immediately went to the scene, where they located a dismembered animal, as well as tools that were used in the act. The animal, according to the Veterinary Services, was identified as a kangaroo.”
According to reports, the man obtained the kangaroo from a third party believed to be a wildlife trafficker.
During the investigation, “it also emerged that the convicted man was residing illegally in the territory of the Republic of Cyprus, after the rejection of his asylum application in 2022.”
“The imposition of a prison sentence in a case of animal abuse constitutes a clear and strong message that such acts are treated with the utmost seriousness and that the law is applied strictly, with zero tolerance,” said the police.
The police, and specifically the Animal Police unit, in close cooperation with the Veterinary Services, “continue consistently and with determination to investigate every complaint concerning abuse, illegal possession, or any form of violence against animals,” it added.
It is noted that “the protection and welfare of animals form an integral part of public safety and respect for the values of our society. No crime against animals is ‘minor,’ and none goes unpunished,” added the police.
The police call on the public to continue cooperating and to immediately report any relevant information, contributing in a practical way to the prevention and combating of such phenomena.