The British bases has issued fines totalling €8,700 since April for the use of hunting dogs in game reserve areas, sending a clear message that “we must take a zero-tolerance approach to these kinds of offences.”
“These actions must stop but if a person is caught, offenders are liable for a fixed penalty notice of €350, or €500 if they possess grey hounds,” community action team (CAT) inspector Yiannis Louca has said.
The bases said hunting dogs are prohibited to enter game reserve areas at all times during the year but that has not deterred some owners attempting to train them illegally in order to trace game.
Police officials are determined to clamp down on the act and utilise its dedicated CAT to identify owners breaking the law, it added.
Louca confirmed that 29 fixed penalty notices had been issued since April and explained officers are constantly on the look-out for the dogs.
“Usually, the owner walks with them, so we are able to identify them easily but when we find a loose dog without any other person around, we immediately check to see if it’s chipped and we can then trace the owner,” Louca said.
Whilst the issue of hunting dogs in game reserve areas is not common, Louca said if police do not take a zero-tolerance approach, it is likely to gather momentum and become a more prominent issue.
“If we step back, it will definitely be an issue in the future. For this reason, we are carrying out operations specifically to trace hunting dogs in game reserve areas. The message is clear, we must take a zero-tolerance approach to these kinds of offences, just as we do with bird trapping,” he said.
He also pointed out the environmental impact these actions have on birds within the bases.
“It is disturbing the game and also the breeding birds within our area, which causes further issues to the biotopes and that cannot be allowed to happen,” he explained.
