The Plight of Strays in Greece

[Guest guest]

Dogs (and cats, birds etc) are regularly poisoned, not only in

Athens but all over Greece, including the islands. This is NOT a

rumor . it is fact and photos of poisoned animals on the GARCANADA

and other websites are proof of this. And, as horrible as it

sounds, poisoning is also an annual event pre tourist season - and

this is especially so this year pre Olympic Games. For example, a

Canadian working in Athens rescued two stray dogs and went through

this horrific experience in recent months - one of the dogs she

rescued was poisoned at the Olympic rowing venue. Even owned

animals are not immune to this; many dog owners carry a poison

antidote with them while walking their dogs so it can be

administered immediately. There have been many recently `reported'

poisonings:- Xanthi - 25 animals; Orestiada - 50 animals;

Alexandroupoli - 50 animals; Kallithea - almost all; Panormou

Street - METRO - all pigeons and cats; Polygyros, Chalkidiki - yet

unknown number; and in Korfos, Korinth all the animals have

disappeared. One can only imagine how many `unreported' cases there

are!

 

If they (the Ministry of Agriculture) are not aware of it, they must

be deaf! For the last 2 years, many of us involved in helping these

animals have been pounding on their doors, asking for co-operation

and financial assistance, with little, if any, positive results. Of

course they vigorously deny any such activity is taking place, as

would anyone being accused. If they are not involved, why are they

not enforcing the laws that protect the animals against such a cruel

and inhumane fate?

 

They are fully aware of the situation but at the same time they are

not doing anything positive about it; that is, enforce laws that up

to now, are only on paper, NEVER enforced. To at least punish those

who are not responsible pet owners and those who deliberately harm

the animals (poisoning, tossing newborns stuffed inside garbage bags

into garbage bins, hangings etc). People who come forward to report

incidences of poisoning (for example, their own dog being found dead

in their yard because the neighbour doesn't like dogs or he was

annoyed by its barking) and neglect (dogs living their entire lives

at the end of a short chain with no water and no protection from the

heat) are either totally ignored, laughed at and told they have to

deal with it themselves, or threatened to back off or suffer the

consequences.

 

With permission to quote Anna Pouliou, a Lawyer and Member of the

Thessaloniki Bar (Greece) and the Brussels Counsels' Institute

(Belgium), this is how she sees the situation for the stray animals

in Greece. Ms. Poulio finds it so difficult, as a Greek, to admit

that in no other European Union country (before its enlargement) has

she met such a lack of sensitivity and ignorance as she encounters

within her own country. In no other town in Europe has she met so

much silent pain of animals as that which she encounters daily in

Greece. She comments that, " The Olympic Games, instead of

symbolizing the reconciliation of states and culture as in ancient

times, it has been reduced to a preparation for a bean feast, a

mockery of the international community and an unfair and totally

baseless and racist attack against foreign animal lovers. "

 

" The scene of tortured and starving animals will obviously destroy

the Olympic celebration and we search for ways to make them

disappear (in essence with poison and smashed glass! "

 

" The relevant law of 2003 was passed in order to throw dust in the

eyes of the international community. It is not implemented but

neither, it seems, is it going to ever be implemented. Are we ready

then for the celebration! How awful my modern Greece has become!

No mercy for a life which is struggling on the roads of our country,

no concept of compassionate civiliation? "

 

She is ashamed of the level her compatriots have reached and urges

the Government to wake up and do something. She urges the Greek

teachers to sensitize the children towards animals in school; the

Greek priests to sensitize their flocks to the silent torture of

God's innocent creatures; for her fellow country people to turn

around and look at the sad sight of the suffering strays. Adopt one

and sterilize it for its own protection; and for the Greek State

(but with little hope) to finally wake up! You can read her " Open

Letter to the People of Greece " in its entirety at

www.garcanada.bizland.com'.

 

There are many organizations in Greece who struggle on a daily basis

to do their best to help the animals Aesop's Friends of the

Animals Kavala; Argos Animal Welfare Society Thessaloniki; Greek

Animal Welfare Fund (GAWF) - Athens; KiDiZo Ioannina; Skiathos Dog

Shelter Skiathos; Society for the Protection of Stray Animals

(SPAZ) Glyfada; The Ark Corfu, just to name a few.

 

The government, in particular the Ministry of Agriculture, is not

doing anything 'but talk', to alleviate the stray situation during

the Olympic Games. In fact, they've actually made it more difficult

to rehome rescued animals outside of Greece. In response to one

woman's outrageous and slanderous accusations that animals are being

used for vivisection, cosmetics and the fur trade after leaving

Greece, they have imposed new 'rules' that serve no purpose other

than to make it more difficult for animal rescue groups to rehome

the animals, thus preventing them from taking in anymore strays from

the streets. We have strong suspicions that this is their means to

distract attention away from the poisonings that are going on as

there is no way this woman could be creating so much fuss without

someone higher up backing her allegations.

 

And, although the City of Athens launched various initatives, these

could be described as `too little, too late'. Sterilizing a few

hundred strays in comparison to the thousands on the streets results

in little benefit with so little time before the games. As

mentioned previously, the ATHOC were adamant the dogs be removed

from the streets during the games. They suggested they be rounded

up and put `somewhere' until the games are over and then be released

back into their neighbourhoods. We are very suspicious about this

plan as many dogs have already `disappeared' and no one knows where

they went. It is likely all the dogs will disappear and, in their

minds, the `problem' of stray dogs on the street during the games

will have been dealt with effectively which we all know is

definitely not so because the streets will only become populated

with new dogs moving into these areas. The only solution to

controlling the stray population, anywhere in the world, is with

spay/neuter programs combined with humane education in schools and

the enforcement of animal protection laws.

 

The deliberate acts of poisoning, cruelty and neglect towards

animals in Greece HAVE TO STOP! This will only happen with the

combined efforts of many The Ministry, the Municipalities, the

Prefectures, animal welfare organizations and the general public at

large. Those of us already involved in this situation have used the

2004 Olympic Games to draw worldwide attention to the plight of

strays all over Greece and, to some degree, some progress has been

made in that prior to 2 years ago, this issue was not a topic for

discussion in or outside of Greece. In the past 2 years, there have

been several articles published, protests launched and meetings held

to discuss the issues. It is also important that everyone deal with

this problem with a pro-active attitude and works toward a common

goal to make life better for animals in Greece.

 

Mrs. Dianne Aldan

Canadian Representative & Fundraiser

Greek Animal Rescue - Canada (GARCANADA)

614 - 25 The Esplanade

Toronto, ON M5E 1W5