Typical Beautiful Greek Shelters With Gourmet Food!

[Guest guest]

Written by Marijo Gillis

On Wednesday, January 21, 2004 GREEK TV viewers were horrified upon

seeing the morning program of ERT 3 (The Other Day) which

featured the GOD awful " Animal Shelter of Northern Greece " , at Peraia,

Thessaloniki. At this 'exclusive' shelter for abandoned and abused

animals, amidst animal feces and carcasses, one saw emaciated dogs, most

with appalling skin diseases, and maggot crawling in open wounds.

Viewers saw the poor dogs fighting over a stale, filthy loaf of bread,

while little paraplegic and blind souls desperate and terrified, dragged

themselves in front of frightened puppies and dogs suffering in the last

stages of Leishmaniasis, a horrifying disease, causing intolerable

suffering. Oh, by the way, in the past, Cannibalization has also been a

featured item for viewing audiences.

 

For the thousandth time, TV viewers were witnessing the blatant violation

of all animal protection laws by 'shelters' and the indifference of the

Greek state. What is the point of legislation? Can someone tell us???

 

True to form, despite this documented evidence of an Animal Auschwitz, the

Greek government remains indifferent and mired down in inertia and perhaps

plain, old, unadulterated inhumanity. (Let us bring up once more, the ahem,

mysterious disappearance of thousands of abandoned dogs as the City of

Athens

prepares for the 2004 Olympic Games! and the magical disappearance of their

carcasses.)

 

A guest featured on the morning program was Mr. Patikas, Director of the

Veterinary Directorate of Thessaloniki, who constantly referred to the

" notorious " new law, gazetted in July 2003 under No. 3170 entitled

" Companion Animals, stray companion animals and other provisions " , without

even once whispering the words " companion animals and sentient beings " , and

also withholding the very pertinent fact that he represents the responsible

body for the implementation of the new law!

 

The same Mr. Patikas, in October 2003, after receipt of official complaints

was forced to inspect the above mentioned shelter and concluded that

everything was perfectly in order! Perhaps this gentleman is missing a

chromosome?

 

Furthermore, throughout the duration of the program, Mr. Patikas failed to

explain how, after only two and a half months, the disgusting situation

which the camera was revealing shot-by-shot, had developed. Naturally, he

did not see fit to propose immediate intervention by the authorities to

relieve the animals' suffering, although the health and welfare of animals

is his responsibility. Needless to say, he did not inform viewers where

the dead animals were buried!

 

It would seem that in Greece, laws are voted in parliament to justify

the existence and salaries of the 300 MP's; thus law 3170 was passed - full

of promise - but without the slightest infrastructure for its

implementation. Yet another law to seduce and mislead and destined for the

rat eaten files of the House of Parliament, as is the travesty of a law,

whose provision defines that the state reply within 15 days to a citizen's

written request. Otherwise a certain concerned party would have received a

reply to her letter of September 4, 2003 in which she complained about the

reprehensible conditions in the above shelter. " Concerned party " addressed

her letter of complaint to Prime Minister Simitis, Agriculture Minister,

Drys, New Democracy Party Chairman Karamanlis, Agriculture Deputy Minister

Hadjimichalis, Prefect of Thessaloniki MPsomiades, and Director of Vetate Thessaloniki Patikas, Mayor of Peraia Mantzari, Mayor of Corfu

Mastoras, Director of Vet Directorate Corfu and the Prefect of Corfu

Machmari.

 

If the Fathers of the Nation are not disturbed when, through their own

failings, Europe considers us barbarians, rude and arrogant Balkans, they

should not be disturbed at the boycott of the Olympic Games and the influx

of hooligan tourists at the summer resorts.

 

A call a " spade a spade " Greek animal rights organization, " run by a

phenomenal Greek, raised abroad, is waiting to see whether the famous Greek

'filotimo' (reciprocal duty to honor) exists...Because if it does, then

every member of the Pan Hellenic Veterinary Association should undertake

without charge, blood testing, treatment and neutering of the animals at

should undertake in view of the promises made at their meeting in 2000. As

for the Veterinary School of the University of Thessaloniki, it should

always actively contribute towards relieving the plight of the stray

animals.

In 2004, the year of 'Volunteering', the government should encourage in

every possible way those distinguished veterinary surgeons of the European

Union (amidst them, professors of renowned universities) who offer their

services free of charge throughout the country, to neuter and treat

desperately sick stray animals. On the contrary, with it's indescribably

idiotic bureaucracy, the government is, indirectly, ensuring that no such

help shall be available to the strays, ever. God help the animals of

Greece.

This article was written on January 24, 2004. As of August 26th, this

typical Greek shelter with " Gourmet Food " is still in operation.