FW: Statistics tell a different story for the stray dogs of Athens

[Guest guest]

Dianne Aldan

[diannealdan]

Saturday, August 28, 2004

9:30 PM

Alexandra Yurkiw

Statistics tell a

different story for the stray dogs of Athens

 

 

 

 

Forget the medal count for the Olympic Games continuously being revised

for positive drug tests. When it

comes to the stray dogs of Athens…the

numbers don’t add up either.

 

There were an estimated 15,000 stray dogs in Athens and another 35,000 in surrounding

suburbs up until a couple of years ago.

Recent reports indicate both numbers quoted above have decreased

considerably. Deputy Mayor Tonia

Kanellopoulou says there are only perhaps 3,000 strays in Athens (indicating a significant decline from

a couple of years ago). In fact,

the City of Athens

is proudly stating it has taken in a few hundred stray dogs for sterilization,

vaccination, identification and any veterinary care they may need. Further stating that, if the dogs are

not adopted within 45 days they will be returned to their familiar

neighbourhoods. So, did the all the

other dogs catch a ferry to one of the islands for a holiday?

 

Visiting media, from both Canada and the U.S.A., wanting a change of

venue from writing about the Olympic Games have been going to print with

numerous stories on the strays; some asking where have all the dogs gone,

others saying they’re being cared for in nice kennels and being fed gourmet

food; and suggesting those making accusations that strays were being poisoned

in Greece

were creating nothing more than a ‘bunch of negative hype’. They should instead be asking why a

spokesman for the Greek Embassy would say,

“Poisoning dogs is traditional but now illegal. Local officials have extended autonomy

and it’s done at night.

It’s considered a minor offence and public prosecutors and police don’t

want to go after elected officials.”

 

Reported incidences of poisoning in recent months include the following

(and one can well imagine how many ‘unreported’ cases there

are). Nine cats under the care of

Friends of the Cat and Lefkes Animal Welfare Society had 8 poisoning cases in

July. The Port of Keratsini

caregivers found 20 dogs dead and only 2 days before the games, they were asked

to get any remaining dogs out of the area before the cruise ships docked. Twenty-two dogs turned up dead near the Port of Piraeus on August 4. Another 80 dogs were found dead in

Saronida. Other reported poisonings

include Perea – 16; Pilea – 6 dogs & 18 cats; Ioannina –

10; Xanthi – 25; Orestiada – 50; Alexandroupoli – 50;

Kallithea – almost all; Panormou Street/Metro – all pigeons and

cats; Polygyros, Halkidiki – yet unknown number; and in Korfos, Korinth,

all the animals have disappeared.

And 2004 began with more than 60 dogs and cats poisoned to death in an

Athens park just before Greece took over the European Union’s six month

rotating presidency.

 

So, one wonders why these same reporters haven’t printed any

poisoning statistics or photographs that depict what really goes on in Athens and Greece

in general.

 

 

 

Mrs. Dianne Aldan

Greek Animal Rescue - Canada

(GARCANADA)

614 - 25 The Esplanade

Toronto, ON

M5E 1W5

 

 

416-361-5046

 

 

 

 

 

GARCanada is the Canadian branch of the UK registered charity,

Greek Animal Rescue (No. 802243), founded in 1989.

www.greekanimalrescue.com

Sponsor a Stray at www.garcanada.com

Sign our petition opposing the slaughter of thousands of stray animals before

the Olympic Games in Greece at www.petitiononline.com/OG2004/petition.html

 

Sign our petition supporting law enforcement to protect both owned and stray

animals in Greece at http://www.petitiononline.com/greece04/petition.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

" You can't save every animal in the world but, for the

one you do save, it IS the world! "

[Guest guest]

_____

 

Dianne Aldan [diannealdan]

Saturday, August 28, 2004 9:30 PM

Alexandra Yurkiw

Statistics tell a different story for the stray dogs of Athens

 

Forget the medal count for the Olympic Games continuously being revised for

positive drug tests. When it comes to the stray dogs of Athens.the numbers

don't add up either.

 

There were an estimated 15,000 stray dogs in Athens and another 35,000 in

surrounding suburbs up until a couple of years ago. Recent reports indicate

both numbers quoted above have decreased considerably. Deputy Mayor Tonia

Kanellopoulou says there are only perhaps 3,000 strays in Athens (indicating

a significant decline from a couple of years ago). In fact, the City of

Athens is proudly stating it has taken in a few hundred stray dogs for

sterilization, vaccination, identification and any veterinary care they may

need. Further stating that, if the dogs are not adopted within 45 days they

will be returned to their familiar neighbourhoods. So, did the all the

other dogs catch a ferry to one of the islands for a holiday?

 

Visiting media, from both Canada and the U.S.A., wanting a change of venue

from writing about the Olympic Games have been going to print with numerous

stories on the strays; some asking where have all the dogs gone, others

saying they're being cared for in nice kennels and being fed gourmet food;

and suggesting those making accusations that strays were being poisoned in

Greece were creating nothing more than a 'bunch of negative hype'. They

should instead be asking why a spokesman for the Greek Embassy would say,

" Poisoning dogs is traditional but now illegal. Local officials have

extended autonomy and it's done at night. It's considered a minor offence

and public prosecutors and police don't want to go after elected officials. "

 

Reported incidences of poisoning in recent months include the following (and

one can well imagine how many 'unreported' cases there are). Nine cats

under the care of Friends of the Cat and Lefkes Animal Welfare Society had 8

poisoning cases in July. The Port of Keratsini caregivers found 20 dogs

dead and only 2 days before the games, they were asked to get any remaining

dogs out of the area before the cruise ships docked. Twenty-two dogs turned

up dead near the Port of Piraeus on August 4. Another 80 dogs were found

dead in Saronida. Other reported poisonings include Perea - 16; Pilea - 6

dogs & 18 cats; Ioannina - 10; Xanthi - 25; Orestiada - 50; Alexandroupoli -

50; Kallithea - almost all; Panormou Street/Metro - all pigeons and cats;

Polygyros, Halkidiki - yet unknown number; and in Korfos, Korinth, all the

animals have disappeared. And 2004 began with more than 60 dogs and cats

poisoned to death in an Athens park just before Greece took over the

European Union's six month rotating presidency.

 

So, one wonders why these same reporters haven't printed any poisoning

statistics or photographs that depict what really goes on in Athens and

Greece in general.

 

Mrs. Dianne Aldan

Greek Animal Rescue - Canada (GARCANADA)

614 - 25 The Esplanade

Toronto, ON M5E 1W5

416-361-5046

 

GARCanada is the Canadian branch of the UK registered charity,

Greek Animal Rescue (No. 802243), founded in 1989.

www.greekanimalrescue.com

Sponsor a Stray at www.garcanada.com

Sign our petition opposing the slaughter of thousands of stray animals

before the Olympic Games in Greece at

www.petitiononline.com/OG2004/petition.html

Sign our petition supporting law enforcement to protect both owned and stray

animals in Greece at http://www.petitiononline.com/greece04/petition.html

 

" You can't save every animal in the world but, for the one you do save, it

IS the world! "