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Animal Welfare on Zakynthos
The Informer and a number of other groups are currently receiving a lot of comments and memes relating to animal welfare on Zakynthos, in light of a recent animal welfare case that has arisen.
Many of the comments say things like:
“It breaks my heart and is too upsetting”
“Why do Greeks treat their animals so badly it makes me so angry!”
“I don’t want to come back to Zante because of this it’s no longer my paradise island”
We understand that stories like the recent one are upsetting for those who are are animal lovers, it makes us angry and upset too. We would however like to put a few things straight.
Firstly: Greeks do not mistreat their animals, there may be some issues that come to light and make the news but Greeks in general do love animals. We need to stop with the “Greeks mistreating animals” generalisation!
People who don’t understand animals, mistreat animals.
Secondly: Animal welfare issues don’t just happen in Greece. Sadly there are animal welfare issues all over the world, in every country, including the UK. It doesn’t make it right but there needs to be an understanding that unfortunately, even though it’s abhorrent and we hate it, it goes on everywhere.
Thirdly: We know our visitors call Zakynthos paradise, and in general it is, but paradise is what you make it. If you choose not to visit the island anymore because of an incident, your hotel owner, local taverna owner, taxi driver, have no control over then, you’re giving up on a place you love and your support of them and the place you love.
The island has excellent animal volunteers who are fighting every day in regards to looking after, rehoming and getting support for stray animals.
They are incredible. But they can’t do it alone. They need everyone’s support. They need your support.
More importantly the people who can really change things need to know how you feel – posting on Facebook may help you vent, it may feel like you’ve had your say, but the people who really need to be told won’t see it. It’s not enough.
To do more, the island animal volunteers need the following:
1. Sign the UK Government petition entitled “Waive all customs fees and VAT on rescue dogs coming into the UK from abroad” https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/574783?fbclid=IwAR1s-jnZMK0UDej_tunHQ1AnrzAYA1q7KrBF3veJgmY-SUcHN97ianqFzuo
2. Sign the Petition “Help volunteer run charities, Zante Strays, ZAWF and Healing Paws, obtain the correct paperwork from the Zakynthos Municipality to allow the dogs to travel which they’re no longer able to do” https://www.change.org/p/municipality-in-zakynthos-let-zante-strays-send-their-dogs-home
3. It’s actually the job for our council (Zakynthos Municipality) to deal with the problems of strays animals not the volunteers. The council are the ones you should be complaining to instead of posting your thoughts on Zakynthos tourist groups on social media. Tell the council your thoughts, unfortunately not many people have. The more people that email them, the more they will have to pay attention https://www.zakynthos.gov.gr/ email – dimoszak@otenet.gr
4. Support ALL of the islands volunteers, every single one of them – Healing Paws, Zante Strays and ZAWF – need support and not just monetary support.
Ask how you can help them with issues that need addressing/highlighting.
You can find out more about them all here “Stray Cats and Dogs and how to help” – https://zakynthosinformer.com/stray-cats-and-dogs-and-how-to-help/
If people take a proactive approach and work together, then maybe the animals and volunteers will finally get the help and support they need, and people won’t need to post such upsetting posts across social media and your paradise will continue to be that for you and the animals.
We would from now on politely request that people stop constantly spamming irrelevant posts to try and make your point. It isn’t on, it causes a lot of work for admin and upsets members.
Source Zakynthos Informer
