Plight of Greek strays

Those of you who have visited Greece will no doubt have seen the stray cats and dogs in villages, towns and throughout the countryside. It’s heart breaking to see so many of them suffering from malnutrition, dehydration, disease. Most are always crawling with fleas and ticks.

Some have to endure the pain of untreated injuries. We see many with fractures that have ‘healed’ leaving the poor animal disabled. Most learn to adapt … they have to; most people seem indifferent to their suffering Just another stray… We often also see animals with awful wounds...

Few cats and dogs are neutered/spayed; many females fall pregnant at a very young age - babies having babies, no sooner have they given birth, they are pregnant again... Many struggle to find food/water and are unable to produce enough milk to nourish their young. Sadly many young kittens/puppies die in the early stages of life. Those that are strong enough to survive continue their fight for survival ... A never ending circle of suffering... We see so many pregnant/nursing females abandoned with their babies ... left to fend for themselves with no food or shelter. putmychoth.info

Unwanted kittens/puppies are taken from their mothers; some are killed prior to being 'dumped' others are left to die slowly... We have rescued dozens over the years. Sadly it's just too late for many...

Unwanted 'pets', guard dogs, working dogs are often abandoned on roads or at rubbish bins. Many are still wearing collars. We've found many waiting patiently for their owners to return ... heart breaking...

Poisoning is a popular method of keeping the number of strays to a minimum; sadly this is acceptable to some people. Animals are frequently poisoned, having to endure a slow painful death. Poison is mixed with food and/or water. If an animal hasn't consumed enough poison to cause death within minutes, it often takes longer, the poor animal dies slowly over time. We have lost count of the numbers of cats and dogs we have seen that have died as a result of poisoning.
We have seen such sickening cruelty, animals that have been poisoned, starved, beaten, burnt, drowned, the
sad list goes on…

Disease is endemic, often passed on through breeding. Many come into the world, sick, diseased, blind. Again,
the list goes on…

Animal cruelty laws are very rarely enforced. Very few people are ever prosecuted. Some people believe that
they have the right to do as they please regardless of the suffering caused.

You often feel that you are fighting a losing battle but we will continue to fight for the strays, the abandoned,
the unwanted and the unloved. Although we can't save them all, we can and have made a difference to many, however small...

Home | About Us | Plight Of Greek Strays | Rescue Stories 2012-16 | Rescue Diary - 2014

Site Map