Animal groups call for amnesty on Greece's stray dogs

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FROM ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS NETWORK

 

Animal groups call for amnesty on Greece's stray dogs

 

From World Society for the Protection of Animals

Wednesday, August 04, 2004

 

 

With the Olympic Games less than two weeks away, the fate of the

thousands of stray dogs in Athens remains in doubt, amid fears by

animal groups that the authorities may undertake a mass-poisoning

campaign to clear the streets of dogs.

 

The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), along with

its hundreds of member societies worldwide (such as the ASPCA and

Humane Society of the United States) and the International Fund for

Animal Welfare are calling on Greece to issue an assurance that

strays will not be subject to any cruel treatment.

 

Trevor Wheeler, Director of WSPA Europe and the Middle East,

said, " Greece is under the spotlight as it prepares to host the 2004

Olympics. We hope that the stray dogs do not fall victim to a knee-

jerk reaction of clearing the streets, as has been seen in many

other countries with stray dog problems. We are continuing to

monitor the situation and have offered our assistance in providing

long-term humane solutions to deal with these animals. "

 

Estimates put Greece's stray dog population in the hundreds of

thousands - some 15,000 of which live in areas that have been

designated as Olympic municipalities. The global problem of stray

animals was addressed at a conference held in Greece late last year,

which was organized by WSPA in conjunction with The Federation of

European Companion Animal Veterinary Associations. At the Humane

Management of Dogs and Cats Conference, the Deputy Mayor of Athens,

Tonia Kanellopoulou, announced details of a new animal welfare law

concerning stray, street and unwanted dogs and cats. However, with

the exception of one municipality in central Athens, it is not yet

known whether this law has yet been widely implemented.

 

Repeated offers of help by WSPA and its member societies have only

been partially acted on to date. The RSPCA, one of WSPA's largest

member societies, is providing assistance to the Greek authorities

in the form of a training and education program. However, the

eventual fate of any dogs that may be taken from the streets and

temporarily put into shelters is still unclear.

 

Major General Peter Davies, WSPA's Director General, added, " The

cruelty that often faces stray animals is one of the biggest

challenges that we are up against. The global issue of unwanted

animals is a social problem not only to the people of Athens, but

for society as a whole. "

-ends-

 

For further information etc, please contact: Jonathan Owen +44 (0)

207 587 5000

 

For more information, contact:

 

Susan Sherwin

Press Contact - WSPA USA

World Society for the Protection of Animals

34 Deloss St.

Framingham, MA 01702

ssherwin

 

 

Web site:

 

www.wspa-usa.org