The cat Cy had spent half a year in quarantine and received all vaccines when the Norwegian Food Safety Authority made the decision in May that he had to be killed. The reason was that the Norwegian Food Safety Authority had doubts about where the cat actually came from. Cy was found at a port in Stavanger in November 2021, and the Norwegian Food Safety Authority believed the cat could be linked to a ship originating in Cyprus. Animal protection wanted to challenge the decision in court, but one day before the trial, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority has now reversed itself. Cy is allowed to live – but must be sent to Cyprus. – It will be tough to send him off. But it is a victory for Cy, even if one could perhaps imagine a different outcome, says head of Animal Protection, Inger Johanne Graff. Cy has now spent nine months in quarantine, and according to Animal Protection, poses no risk of infection to either people or animals. Photo: The Animal Protection Agency It has cost a lot Cy is still living in isolation at the Animal Protection Agency at Tertnes in Bergen. – Cyprus will welcome Cy with open arms, and all the formalities are in order from our side. This is of course a victory, but it has been a tough and unnecessarily long battle, says Graff. She says that animal friends all over the country got involved in Cy’s story, and that a joint was created. It has come in handy. Animal Protection has so far spent over NOK 240,000, and it is still uncertain how high the final sum will be. According to Graff, Cy is worth every penny. – We have fought for Cy’s life, but also other cats and animals in similar situations. She believes the Norwegian Food Safety Authority should introduce compulsory ID marking of cats to avoid more animals taking their lives for no reason. In Sweden and Denmark, this will be introduced in 2023. – The difference between life and death for a cat in Norway is a chip mark, she says. Head of Animal Protection, Inger Johanne Graff, hopes ID marking of cats will become mandatory. Photo: Simon Skjelvik Brandseth / news – It is never desirable for animals to be euthanized In a press release, the director of the legal department and international work, Elisabeth Wilmann, writes that the lack of documentation on the cat’s origin was the reason for the decision to euthanize. – Norway has strict regulations for the introduction of pets to ensure Norwegian public and animal health. We are also obliged to follow international rules to prevent the spread of disease between countries in Europe, says Wilmann. But after the Norwegian Food Safety Authority received a letter from Animal Protection on 5 August stating that the Cypriot authorities will allow the cat to be sent back to Cyprus, the decision was revoked. – We are happy that we have found a solution other than euthanasia in this case. It is never desirable for cats or other animals to be killed if there is an opportunity to avoid this, says Wilmann in the press release.
ttn-69
Cy gets to live – but has to move to Cyprus – news Vestland
