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Received June 1,
2008
Hi Dianne
I’m a 30 year old Greek Canadian and just returned home yesterday from my second
trip to Greece (the last time I went, I was 7). I’m not ever going
back. I remember at 7 being upset
about the animals roaming the streets and how they didn’t belong to anyone, this trip I was absolutely heartsick over
it.
My husband and I spent 6 days in Varkisa (just outside of Athens) and 3 days on the island of Paros.
In Varkisa my husband and I absolutely fell in love with a dog roaming down by the water. He looked as though he would
have been a hunting dog, but must have had a birth defect. His back legs were not properly formed. I don’t
know if I have ever met a nicer dog. All he wanted was love from who ever walked by and to play. He was horribly
skinny though. Everyday we were in Varkisa we went down to the area we saw him in and fed him and loved him up.
The day we were leaving we couldn’t get him to stop following us. We got in the car, and as we were driving away we
saw him try to make friends with a man that made a motion to kick him. My last view of him was of him running away with
his tail between his legs. I will never, as long as I live, forget that.
I left Athens in tears after visiting
a family member. We went for a walk
near the water and were having a great time climbing over rocks and looking
for crabs and little fish. I climbed over a big rock, and on the other side was a dead dog. I also found a filthy
dirty kitten that couldn’t have been more than a few weeks old. She wouldn’t let me catch her, and wouldn’t
take food from me. I HATED Athens.
The hotel we stayed in Paros (in the village of Dryos) had a huge cat
population, all the females were pregnant. ALL of them. They were all thin but with big pregnant bellies, and
they couldn’t have been more than a year old... they were all still really young cats. I spent the 3 days there
making repeated trips to the supermarket to buy cat food and cat milk for
them all. I’ve never felt as
helpless as I did when we left, I cried while
feeding them the last of the cat food.
For a country that has
such a rich history and is the birth place of so many great thinkers, I don’t understand how this can happen.
I’ve always been proud to be Greek; I don’t think I am anymore…
I met a nice American couple
on the ferry back to Athens, they lived in
Paros. They had a puppy with them they had rescued from the side of
the road in Athens and they told me that there were organizations that were trying to help. I was really happy to find
a Canadian one.
I didn’t intend for this to be such a long email. What I really wanted to
do is
ask how we can help. I have a house full of happy healthy animals
(the vet told me before we left on holiday that
my one dog was a “chubby
fellow”. We have to work on that!), and it absolutely, totally breaks my
heart that we left Greece and were able to do no more than feed a few
animals for a few days. We want to do more.
After seeing what we did, we NEED to do more.
Please let me know how we can help. We are able to make monthly
donations, and I would love to know how bringing an animal home works.
I think that what you are doing is FANTASTIC,
and there needs to be more people like you in the world.
Attached is a picture of the sweet boy from Varkisa.
Christy M
Cranbrook, BC
Received June 1, 2008
We returned from Kardamena this morning and could not sleep
for thinking about a puppy we met that was sleeping rough around the hotel Cleopatara Superior. We saw it a couple of
times during the week then not for a few days and we thought someone must have taken it in, but as we were waiting for the
coach to pick us up for the airport to come home we saw it again. It was limping and looked starving. We gave
it some water and the only food we had, a packet of crisps. It is very friendly and just needs someone to give it a
home. It looks about 12 weeks old and is black and brown. Someone had put a collar on it and we thought someone
had taken it in but when my son asked the barman he said it belonged to no one. Someone had put a collar on it so it
wouldn't get shot. Apparently the authorities shoot stray dogs. We were upset at having to leave it there
like that. Can nothing be done to help this poor little puppy? Surely someone in Kos is a dog lover and can help
before it dies of starvation or dehydration and disease? I cannot enjoy a holiday eating and drinking when poor animals
like this are starving. It has put me off going to Kos again.
Dear Dianne.
This is an email that I was compelled to send to Ithaka Municipality today and thought you would be interested.
I
have just returned from a holiday on your beautiful island of Ithaka and would like to inform you that my visit has left me
very distressed due to the barbaric and cruel treatment of domestic animals (dogs and cats especially) that I witnessed and
was told about during my visit.
Your island seems to rely mostly on their tourist industry now and I can assure you that your visitors
are and will be very upset by these atrocities towards animals. During my visit I learned from a local Greek man that 36 pet
dogs were poisened in Vathy alone on one night; this is absolutely outrageous. I then learned that this is quite a common
occurance over the island, as is leaving unwanted puppies and kittens in the mountains to die. Moreover, I cannot begin to
descibe my extreme anger and upset over another incident that happened last week:
Last Monday, I visited Dexa beach and spent a nice day there relaxing and observing a very lovely white
puppy playing there and causing no trouble to anyone. I was concerned that it was alone but felt it was ok and probaly belonged
to one of the big properties by the beach. Later in the week I met some other British tourists and we spoke about the lovely
Dexa beach which they had visited on Tuesday. I asked them if they had seen the beautiful puppy and to my utter dismay they
informed me that it was dead in the sea, probably drowned or killed in some other cruel way by one of your islanders.
This has marred my memory of your beautiful island and has greatly upset the people in England that I have
told. I understand that due to certain members of the community, you are beginning to address the problem of your animal welfare
but a lot more needs to be done if you want to promote your island as the paradise island it should be. I have personally
travelled all over the world and Ithaka is probably the most beautiful place I have seen and your people were welcoming and
friendly so how can you let such cruelty continue? I understand that it is Greek law that the community look after their
animals. I am appalled that with so many domestic and farm animals on the island, you have no permanent and suitable veterinary
care available.
I would like to receive your comments on this matter and I would also like to be informed of the result
of your investigation into the death of the puppy on Dexa beach.
Thank you.
BS
Dear Dianne,
What started out as merely an innocent quest for my new best friend
has turned into the horrifying nightmare I had always suspected about Greece. After getting your email
I went to the GARCANADA website and well...I'm without words.
As I sit here, tears streaming down my face, I cannot even begin to
express my insurmountable anger and pain over what I have seen on your site and what I have always feared about how Greece mistreats its animals.
Yes, I am of Greek descent and have seen first hand abuse of animals,
not to mention abuse of my mother and myself too from when I was very small. Life has a strange way of showing you things
and I am personally going through an awakening of sorts right now when it comes to Greece, Greeks, my father and my love for animals.
When I was a child of 5 my (Canadian) mother bought me a puppy.
We brought it home and I was delighted to share this joy with my (Greek) father. I have only a couple memories that
are good of Tykie who I believe was a black lab. The rest of Tykie's days are a blur as I was very young and more than
likely sheltered by my mother as to what became of his (thankfully) short stay with us. Tykie spent his days, at
least the ones I remember, being kicked down the basement stairs by my father and forced to stay there in the unfinished
dark cement basement, living in his own feces if I remember correctly and crying and wailing for someone to come and be with
him. That memory is something I have tried to forget and forgive my father for. Eventually, the story I was told
was that my father "took Tykie to a farm" and that was the end of that. God only knows what really became of him.
I can only pray that my father in all his Greek rage and ignorance wasn't one of those merciless monsters who tied him to
the back of his car and dragged him or threw him out of the car on the highway in the country somewhere. I often wonder
with great sadness what became of my first puppy Tykie. I never ask though because the truth would probably kill me.
It took years for me to become close to my father - my mother left
him soon after Tykie's departure, also due to abuse. Now my father is 73 and we have become very close in the last few
years. My father and mother have also managed to form a deep bonding friendship and I'm sure my father lives with
much remorse for some of the things he had done. I choose to concentrate on the good things about him because I need
to feel like I have a father and I need to mend the past emotionally and forgiving him and trying to see him for all that
is good about him helps me heal memories like those of my abused mother and puppy.
Yesterday, Sept 9th, my father and I were supposed to leave for Greece. I am 38 years old and have never been.
Quite honestly, my experiences with Greek people my whole life have been nothing short of terrible and I've never had
a desire to go there. But since my father and I have become so close over the past few years, I decided I would accompany
him this year to Greece, as he goes every
summer to his sister's farm. It was his dream to take me there and my Aunt Poppy who hasn't seen me since I was
5 was delighted. So, it was to be the trip of a lifetime; a chance to see my "roots" of sorts, and a chance to seal
the bond with my father and my Greek ancestry. Well, July 26th, my father had a heart attack - he is alive and awaiting
a desperately needed bypass. Due to complications with his arteries and heart, he still might not benefit for very long
from the bypass.
So all this last month, while staying at his hospital bedside, I struggled
with the disappointment of not being able to see Greece and my father’s family farm and the dog that I was so excited
to meet there. That all changed when my half -sister (father's daughter from his second marriage) who had just come
back from a vacation with her husband told me all about the family "pet" in Greece. It, and now I have learned how typical
this is, spends its days tied to a post in the scorching heat and tries to dig its own grave according to my sister's account.
The dog before him did too - until he was poisoned by a neighbor. So now, as my father apologizes for his heart attack
and expresses his sadness over not being able to take me there "this year", my stomach churns as I think of that poor dog
that I am probably never going to end up seeing. And that’s probably for
the good of Poppy and my father, because I would've spent my nights sleeping outside with that dog and fighting with them
everyday to take it off the leash and trying to teach them how WRONG and IGNORANT and EVIL what my aunt is doing is!
Then I would've left Greece heartbroken
and disgusted by them all, just as all of your tourist letters express.
What I wasn't prepared for though, was what I came to learn on your
website. I am sickened with grief over it. As terrible as this may sound, I am so grateful that we did not go
to Greece because I would not have been
able to cope with or withstand what I have now learned about the abuse of the animals there. When I see these pictures
and read the stories, it is honestly a murderous rage that takes over me. I could not have been the "trophy daughter"
in Greece that my father was hoping to
tote me around as. I would've been the crazy woman crying, fighting and running around desperately trying to save
all the animals I saw. I would've left Greece
a tortured soul, permanently traumatized by a memory that would haunt my dreams and daily thoughts for the rest
of my life.
The eerily strange thing is that lately, over the past couple
of months, I had been struggling with thoughts that would pop into my head out of nowhere about tortured animals and I had
no idea why. I would be on a bus or riding my bike and suddenly I would be in tears over visions of sad, tortured and
abused animals in my mind's eye. It was all seeming to come out of nowhere.
And now I've found your website. And somehow it all seems too
uncanny to me. I was only looking for a new best friend, since my dog Buddy passed away last year from cancer.
I had her for 12 years - from when she was 3 mos old. And I was surprised to find (on Petfinder) a Greek Animal
Rescue organization. I had no idea one existed. (nor did I understand the unfortunate massive need for one)
So...please understand the reason for my lengthy letter to you was
to illustrate how my background with my Greek roots really moves me to adopt from you. For me, adopting a dog through
your organization would be the beginning of a lot more "healing" for me in a sense and would put some kind of sense back
into all that I have been going through this last while with respect to the lost trip to Greece, my relationship with my father
and the visions of animals I had been having. And most important of all, I want to help save the life of a dog
that has been subjected to Greek animal cruelty because I have experienced Greek cruelty myself personally and I want to be
apart of the healing, enlightenment and recovery in the Greek culture, even if it's strictly through the healing, liberation
and emancipation of the animals living in Greece.
Thank you for being among the highest living examples of
courage, liberty, love and selflessness through the work you do in spite of the pain and trauma you must suffer
through what you see.
One day, I hope to be in a position where I can make a huge difference
in the suffering of the animals in Greece.
And when and if that day comes, your organization will be the one that receives all of my efforts and support. For now I can only start small.
I will fill out the application and send it back to you in a new email.
In this email, I am including a couple of my favorite pictures of my beautiful dog Buddy taken 2 weeks before she passed
away last year.
Sincerely,
CD
I just read a few of the articles on your site and, as an owner with my six former stray dogs here in Poland, I'm sickened
by the cruelty and misanthropism of my kindred. I'm ashamed to be Greek. But I know how the bastards think - widespread use
of the epithet 'kouproskylo' says it all. I'm pessimistic about them - they're always in the right, and if animal lovers in
Europe band together and make light of the problem or push for some sort of tourist boycott like some individuals have done,
it'll change nothing - they'll just blame the foreigners for conspiring against Greek interests or whatever. I don't know
- I've thought of moving there and doing something about it
myself. I think Greece needs one of those hardcore animal lib
groups like they have in Holland, for example, people like the guy that shot Pim Fortuyn.
With dogs being such a central
part of my own life, I can't understand how these so-called 'civilised' Greeks can have such ambivalent or malicious attitudes
towards animals. My girlfriend hates the country and people, and while that hurts because it's in my blood, I understand,
because I sort of feel that way too.
Anyhow, respect for the website.
From an angry Greek animal lover.
May 2, 2005
Dear Dianne,
I just returned from a vacation in Athens,
that included a short visit to Santorini island. As an avid pet lover/owner, I was very surprised to learn about the
problem with stray dogs across the country. In all my prior reading of the country, I was not aware of this problem
when I arrived and felt unprepared to deal with situation both in an emotional capacity and felt I lacked an understanding
of options/resources to help. During my brief visit to Santorini, there was a stray dog that was living on the hill
outside my resort (Oia Mare)…the dog was so sweet, friendly, and exhibited a happy spirit. I noticed him on the
hill upon arrival and he gleefully wagged his tail and smiled at me… I immediately noticed his left hind leg hanging
loosely beside him. I was heart broken at the conditions where he was living amid rock, debris, and trash. I was
further concerned with his ability to change the situation (ie., move to another location) due to his broken leg. I
asked the manager and his assistant for help to get the dog to a veterinarian for help and offered to pay for expenses.
My request was met with basic indifference to the problem as the manager explained, with shrugged shoulders, the problem with
dogs in Greece and the general lack of
concern for their welfare in the country.
I was so taken a back with his response
and felt helpless and scared. I simply could not comprehend how a human could not offer assistance to an animal that
had a broken bone that hindered his ability to survive.
The female assistant offered to take
the dog to a veterinarian in the neighboring town of Fira
when she completed her shift at 2pm. I checked with her first thing the next morning to see what happened, but unfortunately,
she did not know what happened. She informed me that the manager of the resort took the dog somewhere before she completed
her shift and she was not privy to what he did and I got a strong impression that she did not want to push the issue.
Given the manager’s previous display of indifference to the problem, I have been extremely concerned with the method
he used to remove the dog from the premises.
I have been truly heart stricken ever
since… I deeply regret that I did not do more to help the dog. I simply did not have resources or the knowledge
to know how to navigate through an unknown country to help this situation. The town of Oia
did not offer veterinary services and I was told a taxi would not allow me to take a dog to the neighboring town of Fira and the distance precluded walking. I did not have access
to the Internet to conduct my own research to find out more information. So, I put my faith in the resort manager and
I have prayed for this dog daily since I last saw him.
I am truly concerned with the situation
and cannot let it go. I so desperately wish for help…I found your website on the Internet and read all the wonderful
success stories, but also read of all the sad and horrific stories as well. Finding your website encouraged me to continue
to pursue this possible rescue even if I am now back in the United States.
If anyone local would be willing to help me locate the dog (assuming it is still alive) and take it to a veterinarian to treat
his broken leg and help get him ready for adoption, I would gladly pay for the expenses. I would also even consider
bringing the dog to the States to live with me, if it were possible to get him here.
At a minimum, I would greatly like to sign up for an annual membership and
a donation to help your organization continue its incredible acts of kindness to these kindred spirits in need. I sincerely
commend you and your organization for the all that you do – it is truly a gift.
I would appreciate any response you can
offer with your thoughts, comments, or guidance. Thank you very much….with sincere gratitude,
WS
September 11, 2005
Hello,
My family and I just returned from Greece where we were totally shocked at the amount of homeless dogs roaming the streets
of Athens. The one thing that saddened me most was how afraid these dogs were of humans. Many times that I tried
to offer food or even pat them, they would jump back uncertain of me, almost as if they thought I was going to hurt them.
One night we also witnessed a man in a car trying to run down a dog that was in a parking lot - my husband, son and I just
stopped and had a stare down with this person in the car - the dog left and then we did. I still feel a heaviness in
my heart about this particular event knowing that he was trying to kill the dog.
God bless you for your compassion and concern for these beautiful animals. Please feel free to add us your list
for donations. We would like to start off with a $200.00 donation. Let me know where to forward this to.
I have one question, does a Humane Society exist in Athens? I think that their society needs to have some sort
of updating on animal welfare, spaying and neuturing etc...just wondering.
Kindest Regards
The Stewart Family
September 9, 2005
Hello Dianne,
I am a volunteer with the Animal Love Group in London. I have seen the listing for Apollo and each time I look at it, I
am reminded of my trip to Athens in March of 2004. I had always wanted to go to Greece and was so looking forward to it until
we started to explore the city......the big, dirty city that is full of starving, filthy, homeless dogs. We saw them curled
up in the gutter on high traffic roads........wandering through hordes of people.........eating garbage on the sidewalks...........and
finally, we saw one lying dead covered with flies on the steps of the Acropolis..........tourists stepping over him to get
their holiday pictures. That place disgusted me and I continue to see their poor, haunted faces in my nightmares.
You are an amazing person to have made this huge effort to help this dog and I commend you! Could you tell me if anyone
has adopted him yet? and, if so, where will he end up? I have 3 dogs of my own...all strays.....and the one called Billy could
be Apollo's twin. When people ask about his breed, I say that he appears very much like an English Foxhound too.
I truly hope to hear from you and learn the fate of Apollo.
My very best wishes to you, Dianne
Alexandra (I go by Alex  )
August 30, 2005
Hi there,
My girlfriend and
I just returned from a trip to Rhodes. Towards the end of our stay we visited Lindos, where we had dinner on a rooftop
taverna which I believe was called Stephany's.
Not long after ordering our food my girlfriend (a veterinarian here
in Uppsala, Sweden) looked over at one of the other rooftops and saw a dog tied to the wall with a tipped over garbage container
as its home. She could tell by all of the feces on the floor that the dog (a red Setter/Spaniel mix) had been there
a very long time.
When the waiter came we pointed this out to him, and he and another waiter said that the dog was
tied there 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
After our meal we went down to the street and found the house number: 208.
It's a white house across from the restaurant called Sinatra's.
Upon our return to our hotel in Lardos we tried to
find someone to notify about this, but to no avail. We flew back determined to help this poor dog and that is why I
am notifying you: with hopes there is an organization on the island who can investigate this situation and rescue that poor
dog.
Please let us know what can be done and if there's anything more we can do to help.
Yours sincerely,
JP
Note: I've provided JP with a contact and hopefully some good will
come of his concerns for this dog.
=======================================================
2 August '04
We go to sidari every year and we are always so upset by all the strays that we see but this year was the
most distressing. Opposite the black horse bar in sidari there is a supermarket, this
is where you will find a stray dog that we come across just last week and i can honestly say that i have never seen such a sorry state for a dog. This dog was so skinny
and under nourished that i really do not think it will last another week. His eyes have glazed over a grey colour where i
think it has got cataract, but its not that old and you can see every bone in its body,
its so skinny and weak that it struggles to walk. We fed it the last couple of days
but obviously this will not be the solution. I have never cried so much and it broke my heart to leave it.
Please can you contact mellissa for us and see if there is anything that she can do to stop this animal from
starving to death, slowly and painfully. .Evey night he is there as regular as clockwork
at the phone box opposite the black horse bar in sidari waiting for a tourist to give it some food or some love. iIn the day
it is either at the supermarket or round the side of the supermarket where they have the deliveries.
Its a medium size dog, looks like it may be pedigree german pointer dog. Its hard to miss, its
tanned all over and its so skinny. also you can tell by the eyes, they have glazed over grey. Its completely
approachable and frien) but
We dont very much like the idea of it being put to sleep humanely but surely this is better
than the slow painfully agonising death it is being forced to endure. We would pay for a peaceful end
to this beautiful friendly creature that other people have failed to recognise as a feeling living creature.
THE
DOG IS LITERALLY STARVING TO DEATH!!!!
Our holiday memories have been clouded by the distressing Scenes of this particular dog
(and others) who are being so badly treated. It seems so cruel that this poor dog is so near to food and
yet so very far away!!!!
When we fed him today the Greek people looked at us as tho we were crazy! In their eyes
we were wasting good ham which they could have used to make sandwiches. But they are NOT STARVING and
they could go into the supermarket, the oasis which is just so out of reach for this poor dog.
We know that not all Greeks treat animals badly and we therefore BEG YOUR HELP to HELP
US HELP HIM.
K&D
=====================================================
12 August '04
When we went to Grece there was a poor stray dog on the beach! We woundered if you could help? We fed it
for the week we stayed, we loved him so much we still love him now. So can you help us to get him loved? alice aged 9.
We took care of ben by feeding him and cutting the clumps of hair of him and he would not leave our side. We did let
him in our apartment for water and food but we were caught by the owner who was not pleased and contuinued throwing stones
at him. They could not undersatnd our love for this dog and looked down theire nose at us and made us feel very guilty.
Everyday he would sit on the beach with us and we would put up a brolly to shade him and would give him water and food there.
However this did not stop us from sneaking him in at night, he would sleep on our balcany. Ben was so gentle cross between
a golden retreiver and golden lab and he would even come for a swim if we went in the sea. I don't know what to do to
help ben as we named him so if you have any advice please let me know. Our holiday destination was halkidiki neos marmaras.
Picture of ben attached. Ben was very skinny but did not snatch food he was also blind in one eye. We feel he
had a holiday with us for only one week where he experience much love and we hate to think of anything bad happening to him
although i am sure it is!!!! Please help us to help little ben.
Many thanks
N.H.
===================================================
15 August
'04
Dear Sir or Madam
My father and I have just returned from holiday in Argassi on the Ionian island of Zante (Zakynthos).
While staying there we became very concerned about a pony in the resort which appeared to be in poor
health and possibly suffering from abuse (it was certainly neglected if not deliberately harmed). The pony was extremely
thin, breathing rapidly, needing it's shoes seen to, unable to stand comfortably and had a nasty looking sore where one of
the carriage straps was rubbing it's body just behind it's front right leg. Although clearly suffering the poor animal was
still working every night pulling a cart that had between three and seven people in it.
While we understand that it was a working pony and that other countries have different ideas about
animal care we feel that this animal needs some kind of help and that it is not just a case of cultural differences.
We would greatly appreciate any information or help that you would be able to give us in regards to our
concern.
Yours faithfully
H.S.
===========================================================
15 August '04
Hello,
I am writing on behalf of my sister who is a resident of
Athens, who is very concerned about a number of stray cats who roam near her home. She feeds them every day and does her best
to care for them. The problem is they have developed cat flu and the kittens that they have are either born dead, or if they
do survive, they have a terrible eye disease that manifests itself by either producing copious amounts of pus, or they have
no eyes at all. Rather than just watch them die, she would like to contact someone to help her round them up and
put them to sleep, but she is having trouble finding someone to help.Is there some organisation in Athens that she could contact
that could help her? I hope you can help. Thank you.
Yours Sincerely,
M. W.
=========================================================
18 August '04
Hello, I have lived in the Pilion region of Greece for the last two years.
BUT ..... you must be very familiar with what comes next!
My wife and I had one dog, Daisy, poisoned a year ago and have lived in fear since then that our other
two would suffer a similar fate.
Daisy was a stray who was hit by a car in Argalasti town centre. She wandered for three days with bones
protruding from her shattered leg until a Lady called Yarka (not Greek) found her and took her to a vet in Volos . We
nursed her after this and came to love her . She was friendly, docile and developing a really attractive personality when
50 metres from my home, and on a lead , she was poisoned.
I carried her shaking body as fast as I could and my wife injected her with atropine, which we all keep
in our fridges , but her death from strychnine was almost immediate.
A few weeks ago, before the Olympics, at least 11 dogs were killed in a similar way. We suspect someone
in the local council but have little evidence.
A group of friends who have experienced these barbaric practices and want to do something about it has formed.
Can we communicate and try to share your experience and any good ideas?
Best wishes from Pilion .... sorry about the harrowing tale.
B.B.
================================================================
19 August '04
Hello,
I wondered if you could help, we have just come home from a two week stay in
Lesvos, where we fell in love with a cat who visited us every day at our appartments,
I really wanted to bring the cat home and wondered if there was any way we could, without
the cat having to go into quarantine in Britain.I hope you might be able to give us some advice.
Thanks
J.N.
=======================================================
4 September '04
Dear GAR
You seem like the ideal people to help.
I've just returned from 2 weeks in Crete and was pretty shocked by the way some of the animals were treated.
I decided to take my son on a walk up into the hills above Sissi (about 5km east of Malia) and soon came across some ruined
stone huts. There was something moving inside so we took a look and found a very hungry, terrified dog on a chain attached
to the wall. There was a plastic bucket with some green scummy water but no food (just a really well gnawed old bone). We
gave the dog some fresh water and went back next day with a tin of food but it didn't seem much. There was a stick against
the door frame and the dog was so scared of us that it tried to burrow under an old oil drum when we looked in.
Even after we fed it, it just lay there and wet itself.
I can supply directions if you are able to help. I read your article about abandoned hunting-dogs and it
really seemed to match your description.
C.K.
========================================
14 September
'04
I visited Zante in 1999 we stayed at Tsilvi and I swear I will never go back to Greece. I completely fell
in love with a young mongrel. The owner of the hotel had him tied up next to a wasp bike so of course the poor animal was
barking because he was being stung the owner kicked the dog to keep him quiet. I tried to tell the owner that perhaps if he
tied the dog somewhere else he wouldn't bark and therefore perhaps he wouldn't need to continally kick the dog. The owner
laughed and told me it didn't matter as he was going to drown the dog at the end
of the season. I was horrified and spent the entire week with the dog. If I got up early and untied him the owner let me sit
at the pool with him. The rep was useless as was everyone else I asked for help. I will never forget getting on the bus to
leave. I cried my eyes out.
I know that he will be dead now but felt so helpless that I couldn't do anything about it.
Please send me details esp adoptions and I will do all I can to help. I have a charity shop each year to
help the poor animals of the world and would like to know more about you
V.F.
====================================================
11 September '04
Hi,
My friend and I are writing to you as we have just returned from
a holiday
in Halkidiki, and we would like to share with you our experiences whilst
there, and how we came to learn
of the G.A.R.
We had enjoyed almost a week of glorious sunshine and peaceful surroundings when as we were walking along
a fairly busy road we were horrified to find a small dog lying in the road, obviously distressed and in much pain, having
been hit by a car. I am not actually what you would call a lover of dogs, in fact I have always been very wary and nervous
of them if I encountered them in a public place, we picked up the dog and placed it on the pavement, the poor animal had very
bad injuries on 2 of her legs, one was particularly bad as there wasn't any flesh to be seen at all. My friend is a nurse
and instinctively took off her bandana to tie around the leg to try and help stop the bleeding. We crushed/diluted a
paracetamol and fed it to the dog in an attempt to some way help with the pain. The thing than amazed me the most was the
complete lack of concern from anyone I managed to call over to see what was happening, we just needed to find someone willing
to help. Even the owner of the dog came to see her, saw the amount of blood and decided not to bother with her and promptly
left on the back of his moped. We were directly outside a villa and they were arriving home in their car at the same time
as we were looking for help, they just spoke to us in greek and went inside. Eventually (after a little persuasion!)
the woman who lived in the villa came back outside and it turned out she was English and had been
living in Greece for
17 years, she made a call to a woman (Julie) whom she said "looks after stray dogs" thankfully she came to help us and it
was then we found out she works with the Greek Animal Rescue.
Julie was wonderful, she agreed to take the dog back
with her and asked us to help her. Off we went to her house where she had 20 dogs she was caring for and trying to re-home.
As it was saturday afternoon there would be no availability for vet treatment until the monday, so Julie did all she could
for her, and assured us she thought she would be ok.
Julie told us a little about the charity, asked us to take a few
pictures
and send them to you along with a short letter to tell you of our
experience. As you can see, the photographs
tell you much about the injuries she sustained, we hope very much that she survived and is on the mend.
We offered
to make a donation towards the vet bill, but Julie refused and
instead asked us to spend the money feeding the strays
in the resort where we were staying. Something neither my friend or I have done before, but we spent much of the last week
of our holiday feeding cat's and dog's on the streets of Fourka. We were happy to be making some, if only a small contribution
to these defenceless and innocent animals, if only for a short time.
We like to think that through that poor dogs suffering
we were able to open our eyes and give a little to some of the many stray animals in the area, and also we intend to continue
to donate to your wonderful charity and do what we can.
With Very Best Wishes
M&M
============================================
13 September '04
I've just returned from another lovely holiday on a Greek island (Kephalonia this time), but as with previous
visits, my memories will be clouded by concerns about the future of the many cats we 'befriended' during our stay. I
have 5 cats of my own and would love to adopt more myself, but would risk divorce in so doing! Can you advise me on
how I can help you in your work to support strays in Greece and to 're-educate' the Greek people about sterilisation?
I'm at the point of deciding on no more holidays in Greece as I find the situation so upsetting. Thanks.
W.C.
===================================================
14 September '04
My name is Marina Argiriou and I live in Athens
Greece and I love animals.
Four months ago, I found two golden cocker spaniels
with no collars on running around the area where I live, for days. After a week, I picked them up and I placed on the
top of the block of flats(on a terrace) where I stay with the intention to take care of them and find them a nice home as
where we stay (my husband, my son and I) dogs are not allowed.
I took them to the vet and the vet said that the
dogs are old (9-11) and probably have been mistreated as they are very afraid. The female can not have babies as she had an
operation. Probably have been vaccinated but we can not be certain. Their teeth are really bad but the vet said that we can
not risk cleaning the teeth with anesthesia because it would probably be fatal and of course are too afraid to do it while
they are awake. We can not clip them or bath them. Actually we are not so experienced ourselves.
Over those four months I found out that no one is
looking for them as they were not declared missing at the police stations in the area, no ads at the vet clinic or in the
internet. I tried by advertising them in the newspaper in order to find a good home for them but no luck. As soon as people
found out their age they would just disappear.
Obviously the dogs are potty trained as I walk them
3 times a day (morning – noon- evening) and they not mess their place. They are nice to people once they feel safe and
relaxed but although the female gets along with children, the male does not (probably he was mistreated by children).
Unfortunately I can not protect them anymore as the
people in the building were we stay do not like dogs have threaten us that they do not like them there and they will do what
they have to do in order to end this. That means that either they will press charges to us for keeping the dogs at a place
that is not allowed and we will end up in real trouble with the authorities here or they throw poison to them so they will
die suffering or take them and tie them up in the mountain and leave them to die without food and water for days as people
are known to do that here in Greece especially in the agricultural areas or force me to put them to sleep if the district
attorney says so.
It is true that I could not do to them what was done
again in their lives, to leave in the streets again to suffer; we are not that kind of people.
A friend of mine told me that you can help us to
help and rescue the old dogs by taking and keeping them and finding nice home in the UK in order to have a decent life at the end of their life.
We are running out of time and I feel desperate.
Thank you and I look forward to your response
=====================================================
21
September '04
Hello 
I understand you are very busy and probably get hundreds of emails like this but if you could find the time to help
me I would be very grateful.
My friend and I recently came back from a weeks holiday in Kefalonia-we stayed in Lassi and noticed quite a few local
restaurants had several cats as occupants but seemed fine and well looked after, our hotel where we stayed even had a well
looked after dog but near the end of our week just outside our hotel we spotted another dog-looked like a young black Labrador
that had had puppies recently-it must have been stray it was wondering up and down the same road going up to every person
and it was obviously very skinny and starved so I'm afraid we did take pity and by some food and water from the local supermarket
of which it gobbled up two cans and after a bit of a fuss it disappeared down the road, we saw it up and down the same streets
the next day and near the local beach-it seem very friendly and I know you are used to this but it was very upsetting to see
and my friend and I have been thinking about it a great deal since, my friend would ! really like to bring the dog back to
the UK, we know this is a major deal and would cost a lot of money and time etc. but I have heard other people have done it
successfully so why can't we?, sorry to ramble on but I would really be grateful if you could help me in any way, we don't
really no how we would go about this properly-if we would have to go back out to get her etc.
PLEASE HELP
THANX VERY MUCH
F.C.
=======================================================
22 September
'04
Hello,
I have recently returned from a holiday in Malia, Crete, whereupon we
witnessed terrible cruelty to a dog in one of the bars over there, she looked very distressed, just perched on the end of the bar, it was so
noisy and when I picked her up she just hung in my arms like a rag doll. we heard stories
of how she was forced to drink a 'fishbowl' (a mixture of drinks in a
bowl which is usually served to about 5-6 people) and that she had been unconscious
for a couple of days due to this. Various brainless idiots had stuck their
fingers in various orifices and she was obviously terrified of people touching
her.
I would be grateful if you could advise me of any
course of action that we can take from this country to end this poor little dogs
suffering. Can we alert any authorities over here, does anyone have any power to help her?
Thank you in anticipation.
L.W.
===================================================
24 September '04
Hello,
I was lucky enough to attend the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, and really enjoyed it.
While there I noticed the street dogs, some with collars and tags that had labels with Greek handwriting
on them, others without collars and traveling in packs.
A friend told me she had heard Athens would be rounding up and destroying a lot of the
stray canine population to help "clean up" the city for the Olympics. I am wondering if you can tell me
whether this did happen - as I understand that before the Olympics there were many strays in the city
and I only saw a few.
Also, can you tell me about the dogs with collars and tags that I saw? I wonder if the
Greek writing on the labels on the tags was to identify the dogs as spayed/neutered street dogs? Or owned
dogs, not to be removed?
I am an avid animal rights supporter and these concerns continue to bother me since I
have returned home from the beautiful country of Greece. Any information you can give me would be much
appreciated.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
P.L.
==================================================
25 September '04
Dear Sirs
We were on holiday in the Crystal Apartments in Pefkos in Rhodes from 11-18
September 2004. On our first day we rescued a young kitten which we think was
only a few weeks old, and fed a cared for it throughout our stay. We would like to bring
the kitten to England and would be grateful if you could provide advice about how we
do so.
Yours
D&M
===================================================
26 September 2004
Hello,
I went on holiday to Parga over the summer and was very distressed to find so many stray cats and kittens
there, living off the streets, depending on food from tourists for their survival.
One evening when we were out we heard a frantic mewing sound from a cardboard box. My son opened it and
found a tiny, terrifed kitten inside, along with milk and cat food. Apparently the kiitten belonged to the owners of the adjacent
shop - it had just come from a farm and was in a box to stop it running away. This incident caused me and my son huge distress
and we felt so horribly helpless, knowing this kitten would probably die, along with countless others.
How can we help these cats? Are there any animal welfare groups in the Parga area I can contact? I hope
you can help.
Best wishes,
D.M.
==========================================
26 September '04
I am an italian living in ENGLAND. Two days ago i came back from a two week
holiday in Crete i stayed in KOUTOULOUFARI, HERSONISSOS. I FOUND the local people friendly, warm and kind. the hotel
was clean, the service was very good and the greek food very good. BUT after two days there i
saw things i could not understand! DOGS CHAINED TO FENCES, GATES, WALLS, WELL ANYWHERE REALLY. STRAY CATS STARVING
TOO MANY FOR ME TO FEED ON MY OWN! I WAS EATING IN RESTAURANTS WATCHING THE CATS OUTSIDE CRYING FOR FOOD. DO YOU THINK
I ENJOYED MY MEALS? A LUMP IN MY THROAT AS THE FOOD COULD NOT TO DOWN! SO I STARTED TAKING FOOD THAT I D NOT EATEN
AND FEEDING KITTENS THAT ARE LIVING UNDER CARS OR ANYWHERE ELSE. AT THE HOTEL I STAYED AT I FOUND THREE KITTENS AND
THE MOTHER, I COULD NOT GET NEAR THEM BUT TWICE A DAY I MADE SURE THEY WERE EATING PLENTY OF FOOD. AND NOW I M HOME
WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THOSE POOR INNOCENT ANIMALS THEY WEREN T ASKED TO BE BORN BUT HAVE TO LIVE A SUFFERING LIFE, WILL THEY
LIVE THROUGH THE WINTER WILL SOMEONE SHOW THEM ANY KIND OF AFFECTION? I THINK OF THEM WITH GREAT SADNESS AND TEARS IN
MY EYES. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE HELP THESE INNOCENT CREATURES YOU HAVE THE POWER TO DO SOMETHING
ABOUT IT, so PLEASE HELP .
D.M.
=========================================
27 September '04
HI there,
I am like many others, appalled by the Greek nation.
Just got back from Zante, saw loads of cats and
wanted to take them all home especially a small kitten that "lived" in a beachwear shop
during the day but on his own in the night and he is only 2 months old.
Then got back and did some research and found out about how they poison
and kill them so I never want to support Greece in anything exept the animals.
So - where do I start, how do I help - I do not have money
unfortunatly but can save to help etc. Is it possible to bring animals home to
the UK? I support a animal charity called The Mayhew Home in Kilburn, i am sure if we
take the animals there they would put them up and if we get a huge
article in the Daily Mail they will help with money?
Regards
=====================================================
28 September '04
Hello,
I stumbled across your website after just returning from a two week holiday
in the Greek Island of Zante. Whilst we had a good holiday in the main,
we did see quite a few stray dogs, including one on the stretch back to the Airport
(very near to the airport and not a nice looking area with rubbish scattered). An Alsation
seemed to be chained up on an open patch of land - We didn't see anybody about.
Who would be the best point of contact to report this? It might have
been genuine but after reading the cases on your site, I don't suspect so. Being animal
lovers, we'd also like to give a donation to your charity.
Thanks and best regards
J.M. & Y.S.
============================================
30 September '04
Dear GAR
I have recently returned from a holiday on the Greek island of
Santorini. Leaving any holiday destination can leave you a little down in the dumps but I have come back home heartbroken.
For most of my stay my friend and I befriended a dog that was being very badly treated. He was guarding a scrap metal yard
just outside Kamari - the conditions he is being kept in are atrocious. My last visit to him was on Tuesday, 28 September
- the temperature was in the 90s, he had a small cardboard box for shelter that he could barely get his head and shoulders
in, a thick chain round is neck that allowed less than a foot movement and no food or water. He was just a bag of bones. I
gave him a litre of water and it was obvious that he hadn't had a drink for many hours - he drank the whole litre without
stopping for breath - it was so distressing. He even allowed me to pet him after. I did manage to speak to a neighbour of
the owner and asked him to tell him to make sure that the dog at least had water, he said he would tell him but of course
he won't.
I just cannot get him out of my mind and I know he is suffering as I type this. The reason I am writing to
you is to ask whether you can advise me if there is some kind of organisation in Santorini that I can report this to. I know
there are a number of organisation for stray dogs but do they have the equivalent of the RSPCA. I haven't got the exact address
but I could give directions to where this is happening.
Thank you for taking the time to read my request and I do hope
you can help me help this poor creature.
Best wishes
Mary
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| Standing on the same spot for hours on end. |
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| So sad and forlorn. |
A SAD DONKEY OF SIDARI, CORFU
Received June 2003
While holidaying recently in Sidari on the island of Corfu I went prepared
to witness stray dogs and cats. John (my activist partner) and I took water, a bowl and some food wherever we went.
But what saddened me most was the plight of a poor little donkey. Its owner, a small mean-looking little old Greek man
(who could speak no English) sat just off the busy main road all day with this donkey standing tied up beside him. The
heat was terrible, even though they were in the shade admittedly. Attached to the donkey’s saddle was a
note, written in English..." I am a poor lonely donkey......for 2 Euros you can take me for a ride..." words to that
effect. Every day for a week we had to pass this poor animal, who was made to stand all day long until late in the evening,
without moving from the one position. The ground beneath his feet being only the dusty roadside. The
old man had arranged two flowers in the strap above his eyes. On one occasion I took the donkey’s
head to my chest, gave him a reassuring cuddle and removed the chain from above his nose, which was clearly digging into his
skin. On another occasion I gave him some carrots - he chomped happily on these, but when he dropped half on the ground, I
noticed that he could not even bend his head down to pick it up - the rope tying him to the old building wasn't long
enough.
I watched once at the end of the day, as the old fella took
the donkey back up the street. He stopped at a taverna, downed a half of beer - paid for with his takings for the
day and waited for a carry out. When it came, he pulled at the poor animal’s head in annoyance, jumped on
his back and the poor donkey had to presumably carry him all the way 'home' wherever that was. The next day they
were back. And the day after that. I took a couple of photographs of the donkey - the old man's eyes lit up.
He asked me if I'd like a photo of me sitting on his back. I looked at him disgustedly and shook my head.
His hand was out when he asked me.
Please circulate this story and, once again, urge people who go to this
place not to sit their children on this donkey’s back for 'a ride'. Even giving the old Greek guy money isn't the
answer.
I have lost sleep over
this poor animal and think of him often. I wish I could have done more. When the photos came back I cried.
Eileen
Please fax polite letters to the Mayor of Sidari informing
him that you do not approve of how this man is treating his donkey - it is cruel and inhumane - and nor do you approve
of how he is speakly negatively about Sirdari and Corfu itself. Your fax should be addressed to:-
Mr. Ioannis Provatas
Mayor of Sidari (Esperion)
Velonades, 490 81 Corfu
Fax +30 26630 72345
Sidari Donkey ...
August Update from Vesna Jones, GAR UK:
The email above from Eileen Kinghorn was
circulated widely early in July. Well, I thought you might like to have an update ... Eileen & I met a week ago and had a long chat about the donkey and about other animal welfare related matters
[general treatment of animals in Greece etc]. After she saw the pictures and video I took etc, she felt guilty
that apart from giving the donkey some carrots, she did no more ... As she's an active animal rights campaigner [in the UK],
she felt she let the donkey down, especially after I told her about my 'carry ons' over the 3 days I was there [taking his
signs off, putting up mine etc]. And so, it wasn't long before she started talking about returning to Sidari ........ and yesterday she confirmed that she and her partner John will be on their way over on
1st September [for 1 week]and I will of course be giving her a big pile of leaflets to take with her [prepared shortly after my return,
so as to send some to Melissa - who lives in Sidari - for 'distribution']. Hopefully they can bring
the matter to the attention of the tourists and persuade them to write a 'letter of complaint'
to the Mayor of Sidari [his details are included on the leaflet].
The donkey will also get a few prezzies from GAR ...
a PROPER head collar and 'lead', some 'donkey treats' [specially made], worming paste etc.
Wouldn't it be great if
a rota of 'Friends of the Sidari Donkey' could be organised in time for next year's holiday season!! A rota of people
who would spend time talking to tourists and giving out leaflets, 'demonstrating peacefully' by just standing next to the
man/donkey and having a sign of their own, asking people NOT to give any money to the mean old man to buy beer &
cigarettes with, but to buy a few carrots for the donkey etc, etc. They would not be breaking any laws by doing that
and with so many people around, it's unlikely they would be physically assaulted, though like me, they may have to put up
with some hysterical screaming [from an old Greek woman] and a few arguments from other locals, who would see such action
as an 'insult'. But let us not forget that this 'poor old man' is getting money out of tourists by exploiting
this donkey, whose saddle is weighing him down day and night [it's never removed and the old man excused that by saying he
has a bad wrist!] and he's being treated roughly {I saw the man jabbing a stick into his ribs to make him move!}.
Because the old man refuses
to sell the donkey [he'd lose his beer money!], all we can do is try to make his life as uncomfortable as we can, by
ensuring his 'takings' are reduced to the point where it will not be viable for him to keep the donkey {I believe
he has another one at home, used previously for the same purpose, but I think he's lame now] and by putting pressure
on the Mayor to put a stop to this obscenity.
Regards,
Vesna
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Received 1/7/03
My recent holiday was greatly spoiled by the very public display of animal neglect and contempt
on the beautiful island of Corfu.
We stayed for two weeks in Rhodu. Where do I
start? From the first walk I took out of our apartment area, I first saw a number
of cats. Three nursing queens, two pregnant, four tomcats, assorted kittens from birth to 6-7 months old. These cats lived
in someone’s garden, right by the sea, not far away from a fresh fish restaurant who advertised that they caught their
own fish. Waste fish? Must be plenty, but this beautiful, desperate party of cats saw none.
I can safely say this, as these cats were skin and bone, all had mange, covered in ticks
and actual worms coming out of their skin. I was appalled at the neglect …three
Burmese that we would gladly own here in our modern up to date country.
I fed them every day and watched them struggle to survive.
Further down the main street, still passing restaurant after restaurant, a lovely ginger
tom, a torty female (pregnant) and a black kitten, could be found. The ginger tom was the only cat in fair shape that I ever
saw. But this didn’t last – by day five of my holiday he had hurt his hind leg and paw. Every time I saw him he
got worse. I wanted to take him to the vet but who would give him his antibiotics? They
all needed a vet but they all needed somewhere for after the vet. I have never felt so useless and I am ashamed that I didn’t
find a way to help. I bathed his leg regularly but I did no more.
I watched in horror as seven full male dogs chased a small very thin (bones sticking out,
bad leg, could hardly walk) bitch in season. They chased her for the last three days of my holiday. I got her away a couple
of times – no help even from other English holidaymakers. The look on her face I will never forget.
Shops in Corfu have calendars for next year of cats in Greece, but not the true cats of
Greece. I would like to go back and put together my own calendar.
I saw a dog chained up on the second floor of a part built house – no kennel, no shelter
from the blazing sun. This I saw often in similar buildings.
A beautiful place should be a beautiful place to live for the cats and dogs of Greece. Plenty
of food – no excuse for the hunger.
The most heart-rending animal I saw though was on day seven of my “nightmare”.
We were in a hired car travelling between Rhodu and Sidari. A puppy of about four months ran out in front of cars in this
main road. I made my partner stop and I called the pup to me. He was a young
Irish setter type. Large paws I noticed straight away, as the rest of his body was deformed by starvation. His rib cage stuck
out at least 3 inches …his entire skeleton could be seen, skin hanging loose, should have been a beautiful girl one day. But not this little one; no proud owners for this “pet”. Covered in ticks,
mange, rope mark round her neck, broken skin, things crawling on her skin, worms hanging out of her backside. I’m crying now, I was crying then - I fed her (just
brought a load at a Euro a tin) bastard shop owners! Gave her water. Was getting
the back of the car ready to take her with us when she was startled and ran away.
I spent so much time thinking about what I should do as partner and kids didn’t want
her in the car etc. She shouldn’t have got away. She would have come with me. I looked every day for her
but didn’t see her again.
Greek people treat cats and dogs as we would treat “ants in the kitchen”. Greece
will get no more of my money. I wasn’t prepared for what I saw.
If I can be of any help???
Yours faithfully
Tina Chester
(107 Stamford Road, West Bridgeford, Nottingham)
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