June 16
After building and placing the feeding stations, we embarked on our educational campaign, distributing informative materials and organizing a silent demonstration in the town center of Ioannina. Mary has been an amazing part of all of the coordination and effort. She also has tremendous insight into both the local situation as well as animal welfare around Greece in general.
We're working side by side with the locals, distributing leaflets on sterilization, which is virtually non-existent here, abandonment, which is commonplace, and poisoning, also a common practice for controlling the stray population. We have a fact sheet on the benefits of living with pets as well.
We've been out on the streets handing out leaflets and talking to the locals. Some of the people who live here speak some English, especially the young people and we have our Greek counterparts to translate when they don't. Despoina is one of the locals who has joined us. She is a passionate proponent of the dogs and works tirelessly to help them. Her enthusiasm is infectious as we watch her chase down people who have tossed the leaflets carelessly away or have made disparaging comments.
We've had some great encounters and engaging conversations. We've even had some of the locals ask us to arrange for sterilization of their dogs after talking to us and reading the materials, and we've sparked a curiosity and interest from others about animal welfare in general.
The silent vigil is a collaborative effort. The local animal welfare community has banded together with our group to recruit participants to stand in unity with us. We've spent a couple of days making banners and signs. We are feeling a great sense of hope and pride. There has been a surprising receptiveness here.
The demonstration has attracted a large crowd, and Kostas, one of the local activists, has told us this is the largest assembly for animal welfare ever in the history of Ioannina. We even have coverage from two television stations and the local newspaper. The vigil is a resounding success.
Read Part I of Zoe's trip here.
Here are links to Part II , III , V and VI.
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