Melios Zoo remains open following the bear’s escape on Saturday and despite court rulings that would—on paper at least—force it to close.
Speaking on the Alpha Kalimera show, Christodoulos Pipis, Director of Veterinary Services, stated that the former zoo’s operating license has not been renewed since 2017.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
“There were urban planning issues, which he himself had raised on various occasions, requests to the Department of Urban Planning to expand or modify the facility, which the Department of Urban Planning had not accepted. And those expansions have been deemed illegal.”
He clarifies that, as far as the Veterinary Services are concerned, this facility is not considered a zoo, as it does not have a permit to exhibit animals to the public.
When asked to comment on the fact that, despite not having a permit, the facility remains open and people pay an admission fee, Mr. Pipis replied that if asked, the owner would claim there is no admission fee, even though one is charged.
When also asked to comment on the fact that there are two recent court rulings, one dated April 9, 2026, when the Supreme Constitutional Court rejected the owner’s appeal and upheld the ruling leading to the closure, and another ruling, in which the Court of Appeals rejected another of his appeals regarding operation without a valid license on May 21, 2026, states:
“What is currently underway—and which, due to both the destruction and the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak, has been placed under investigation for the time being— is a review of the entire situation involving the relevant government departments and the Agricultural Organizations, precisely to determine how we will proceed with the implementation of the two court rulings you mentioned earlier.”
When asked if there is a plan for managing the animals, Mr. Pipis replied that the owner must declare, based on the court rulings, what he intends to do regarding the animals’ fate, so that the agency can evaluate his response and proceed with further guidance on, b regarding the fate of these specific animals.
“There are a number of different animal species that cannot remain there nor can they be classified as pets or companion animals.”
He states that one possibility is to send the animals abroad.
When asked to comment on the fact that five months have passed since the last decision, he states that all agencies must work together, as there are various types of responsibilities across different departments, and each must manage its own.
Noting that the case has been pending for ten years, Mr. Pipis states that it has actually been much longer.
“This case has been plaguing the state for many more years. It is a case involving a multitude of court cases and lawsuits.”
When asked why nothing has been done to enforce the court’s rulings, he denies that there is nothing being done.
“As soon as the court’s decision was published, a process of consultation and case management was initiated to determine what should be done following the court’s decision, by the relevant agencies and ministries. So, precisely because we are dealing with procedural matters, you understand that each agency must review the provisions of the law that apply to it, so that whatever needs to be done is done in strict accordance with procedure, to avoid raising any issues of non-compliance.”
Responding to a question about how these animals arrived in Cyprus, he stated that in most cases, they had arrived without the required permits.
“Essentially, what was happening was that this individual was exploiting, on the one hand, the business as a former zoo and the permit issued to him in 2012, and, on the other hand, his claim that he operates on the premises of the former—a facility he himself refers to as a pet shop. So, depending on the nature of the commercial letter he intended to bring to Cyprus, he acted accordingly. One moment it appeared to be a zoo, the next he presented it as a pet shop. And given the EU framework and the single market, the shipments would arrive, and he would declare them as being of European origin. So, from a customs perspective, he was able to move the shipment to its final destination.”
He also points out that in most cases, the agency was informed only after the fact.
“That is, they were informed by their colleagues at customs that a shipment had arrived, and that Melios had brought this shipment with these animals.”
He explains that, from a customs standpoint, importation into Cyprus was permitted, since the shipment was from within the European Union.
“From a veterinary standpoint, however, the veterinary office was notified only as the shipment was arriving. In other words, we found out about it only after it was already in Cyprus.”
Mr. Pipis also explains that the fact that we don’t have very frequent flights creates further problems.
“We pointed out to him that the animals had to be sent back to where they came from, because they were without permits, without any documentation whatsoever; moreover, he attempted to mislead the authorities and refused to send them back. So the agency had to step in to determine what would happen to the animals. This isn’t like a piece of furniture that you can just leave there and walk away from next week without needing to do anything to take care of it. They are living organisms, and we’re dealing with animals that aren’t exactly easy to manage—in terms of how they’re handled, cared for, and the facilities where they must be housed until they depart.”
According to Kyriakos Theodorou, Communications Officer for the Police Press Office, the police were notified shortly after 7:00 p.m. on Saturday by the property owner.
He noted that the police responded immediately, mobilizing various other agencies to handle the situation promptly.
According to the owner, he went to the special fenced-off area to feed the bears, and before he could close the gate, a bear pushed it open, allowing the bear to escape.
When asked whether the police have training in bear management, he answered in the negative and clarified that police officers were stationed around the perimeter to intervene if necessary.
