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Corfiots Love Animals

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Corfiots Love Animals

Message posted by Rog on 19 October 2006 at 8:37pm - IP Logged Legal Disclaimer

Rog

Corfu

When we first visited the Island we were suprised at the number of Cats that were wandering around. Our friend Spiros told us that they were tollerated so long as they did their job. None of us were allowed to feed them.

There were stories being told about how in the winter they were culled to keep the numbers down. Things seem to have changed now for the better.

Spiros has got a Dog of his own "Appollon" who live with him during the winter and he even takes the Cats plus Appollon to see the Vet when they are unwell.

I don't suggest that just because the Visitors like animals that the local people have to, but it is gratifying to see people like Spiros now actually caring for the animals who are after all doing a valuable job for them.

Rog

Message posted by Portia on 19 October 2006 at 9:35pm - IP Logged Legal Disclaimer

Portia

Corfu

I am very glad to hear this news.

Since I first visited Corfu in 1968, I have found that the Corfiots seem to love cats, but despise dogs. Such a shame. They call them things like "filthy curs." I guess they figure, Well, at least, cats catch rats! Dogs have only principally love to give, as there are not many "sports" left in the modern world where dogs really come in handy. Such a shame.

For many decades in history, Corfiots almost starved. That is probably the reason they have no real general love for dogs, since they themselves were starving, and to give a mere dog a morsel of food was probably thought ridiculous.

Let us hope that things really are changing! If they are changing, it is due in no small part to the money the tourists bring, and the love which the English have had for centuries for their dogs. Bravo!

Portia

Message posted by Belinda on 19 October 2006 at 11:03pm - IP Logged Legal Disclaimer

Belinda

Corfu

Hi. I used to complain bitterly about the way some Greek people treated animals. Have you seen the papers lately re the way some British people treat their animals? a popular daily newspaper has stories almost on a daily basis, one today featuring dogs left to die in a hot car. In the past few weeks, a dog hurled from block of flats for fun, a woman who boiled her dog cos she didn't want it, died an agonising death. Only this week I was in a confrontation with a youth who punched his staffs bull terrier on the head.

Sorry, but for every animal lover and I love them enough to challenge cruelty, it seems this country has half a dozen that mistreats them. Belinda

Message posted by Terry and Julia on 20 October 2006 at 8:55am - IP Logged Legal Disclaimer

Terry and Julia

Corfu

Sylvia, of course people get incensed about acts of cruelty towards children and I would think they happen in every country. I imagine most people can't even bear to think about the suffering that goes on, we would never sleep. Perhaps we should never sleep because that kind of thing is going on, I don't know.

All innocent creatures, whatever they are, deserve to live in peace and safety. It is a shame that in the 21st century we still cannot guarantee that for them. At least there are people who do care and try to make a difference and I certainly don't think we can assume that voicing concern over one issue is indicative of disregard for another. We should all do what we can, where we can to make the world a nicer place.

Julia

Message posted by Stuart on 20 October 2006 at 9:42am - IP Logged Legal Disclaimer

Stuart

Kefalonia

Quote: Originally posted by Terry and Julia on 20 October 2006

..... I certainly don't think we can assume that voicing concern over one issue is indicative of disregard for another. We should all do what we can, where we can to make the world a nicer place.

Well said Julia! [:star:]

Like lots of people, I have at times supported both children's charities and animal charities but I don't think anyone should be blamed if they choose to devote all of their charitable efforts towards one side or the other. They are both equally worthy causes and deserve whatever help we can give.

Sometimes, people get so caught up in their zeal that they can't see that there may be another way to look at things.

Stuart

Message posted by Claire_L on 20 October 2006 at 9:56pm - IP Logged Legal Disclaimer

Claire_L

Corfu

Someone told meo nce that many years and years ago Rabis (think thats spelt right) was rife on the island with the dogs and they have never really got over that. I know thats not an excuse for some animals to get treated the way they do but its understandable they could be afraid of the disease returning. After all i hear of more ill treated animals back in the uk than i do here.

I love animals and i adore cats but once upon a time pets weren't pets they were all wild animals.

Message posted by Portia on 20 October 2006 at 10:25pm - IP Logged Legal Disclaimer

Portia

Corfu

Bravo, Stuart and Julia!

Portia

Message posted by km on 20 October 2006 at 10:47pm - IP Logged Legal Disclaimer

Corfu

There are cases of cruelty to children in Greece but not perhaps on Corfu which is after all a small island. I think most of us are unaware of it because we do not follow the Greek news on a daily basis. I have heard stories relating to Athens that are really frightening (killing for organs etc) whether they are true or not I don't know - but it makes you think.

Message posted by sc on 21 October 2006 at 12:14am - IP Logged Legal Disclaimer

Corfu

Having seen infantile posts from you Rog on other subjects I have decided to remove any answers that I posted in good faith.

Message posted by Dasia on 21 October 2006 at 12:30am - IP Logged Legal Disclaimer

Dasia

Corfu

I have certainly noticed that people in Corfu are kinder to animals now than when I first started going there more than 25 years ago. In the town, rather than hordes of homeless cats, there now seem to be "clusters" fed and watched over collectively by nearby residents and shopkeepers. And often someone will take one of their "neighbour animals" to a vet when it is in need. Some individuals, Corfiot and foreign, go even farther and take animals for neutering at their own expense.

When we were there last summer, the "Ark" organization had a fundraising sale; a Corfiot manufacturer of leather sandals donated a large number of older models to sell to help the cause. I'm not sure that would have happened 20 years ago.

It does seem that in Corfu, things have improved more for cats than for dogs. OTOH an Athenian told me that there, dogs are the focus of those who help animals, not so much cats.

I think as Greeks have become more affluent, they've been able to discover the joys of pet ownership. (This has its downside, from what I've heard the conditions in some of the pet shops in Athens are pretty bad.) But overall it's a better situation for animals and for people too, if like me you believe the studies saying pet ownership is good for our health.

Quoting Julia:

.... I certainly don't think we can assume that voicing concern over one issue is indicative of disregard for another. We should all do what we can, where we can to make the world a nicer place.

You are so right there! I wish I'd been as eloquent when I was helping out at a sale like the Ark's, back when I lived in Cyprus. A Cypriot lady lit into me saying why did us "British" care about animals so much more than solving the Cyprus question.

Message posted by Angela T-A (Agni Animal Welfare Fund) on 22 October 2006 at 9:43pm - IP Logged Legal Disclaimer

Angela T-A

Corfu

Having been very busy the last few weeks neutering as many feral cats as possible and treating sick cats in Corfu, I also have come across many Greek people that are helping the cats. Many of them feed them in the winter months and help them if they are sick.

Much of the problem lies with the lack of neutering but most of these cats are feral and many local people cannot afford to go neutering the feral cats, although some do what they can.

It is not a question of being cruel to these animals rather than a situation that is difficult for the local people to do anything about and that is being over-run with cats due to lack of neutering rather than anyone being cruel to them.

The Agni Animal Welfare Fund is neutering as many cats as possible to try to decrease the number of stray cats on the Island so that there are less feral cats for the greek people to feed and help. I hope one day this will have an impact and I am sure with the interest of the Greek people they will come to recognise the need to neuter if they can afford it.

Education helps and we are really thrilled that we have some children helping us to feed the strays in one of the villages this winter, and teaching them what we are doing and why, hopefully will help things to improve with the new generations to come.

It is with the help of you people that are sponsoring us that has enabled us to help more cats this year, so please keep up your support if you love the animals on Corfu so that we can continue to help more. We have made a positive impact in Agni itself with far less cats around this summer and now the season has ended Agni is not overrun with desperate kittens enabling us to help other areas that are.

If you are not aware of the AAWF and what we are doing - follow the link on my signature and read about what we are trying to do to give the animals of Corfu a better life.

Message posted by sc on 22 October 2006 at 11:06pm - IP Logged Legal Disclaimer

Corfu

Angela - you are doing such a great job, not just sponsering the animals but educating the locals on ensuring that the animals do not keep producing! That is the answer that there are not to many mouths to feed, but enough to keep the snakes, lizards (although I love them) natural feeding available for the animals that are there. Keep up the good work.

Regards Sylvia

Message posted by Angela T-A (Agni Animal Welfare Fund) on 23 October 2006 at 12:37am - IP Logged Legal Disclaimer

Angela T-A

Corfu

Hi Sylvia

I do not think that we will reduce them enough for the snakes and lizards to take over!!! I wish we could get more done, its a slow job but educating the new generations is the best way forward, even then the local people find neutering expensive and cannot afford it and it is expensive in Corfu and that is one of our problems getting neutering done at a charitable price. The vets just do not seem to recognise charity or the need for it!!!

Angela

Message posted by sc on 25 October 2006 at 12:19am - IP Logged Legal Disclaimer

Corfu

There are many places in Sidari that have notices up to leave some food to fead the animals in the winter. Would it not be possible to put signs up asking people to leave thier spare change (which cannot be changed back when they return home) In collection boxes to help this programme? Just a thought, maybe not workable but maybe worth a try! What do you think? If there were collection boxes (like the poppy day appeal here in all bars and resturants it may work)

Sylvia

Message posted by Angela T-A (Agni Animal Welfare Fund) on 25 October 2006 at 2:06am - IP Logged Legal Disclaimer

Angela T-A

Corfu

That is quite a good idea Sylvia - especially to specify that it is to feed the cats in winter - we must try that for next season.

This year has been a bit of a learning curve to see how things developed. We have had alot of support this year and if we can get the same support and sponsorship next year as we have had for this, then we can certainly move on and get more cats neutered and it should start to make a noticeable difference in the areas we are working on.

The winter feeding is going to use a fair amount of money so we really need to do something like you suggest as well as asking people to donate on our website.

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