Zoe Katsulos of inside/out shares some of her experiences helping stray animals in Greece Part V
By Zoe Katsulos
June 18
We're off to explore some other villages outside of Ioannina where we will be able to absorb even more of the culture off the beaten path. The dogs of Ioannina are mostly healthy and fed, thanks to Mary, Despoina and the other locals who dedicate themselves to the dog's well being. They work hard to feed, sterilize and provide veterinary care for the stray population here, which is why it is so heartbreaking when poisonings occur.
One local dog has defied the odds and managed to not only survive but thrive in Ioannina. Kukla, which means cutie or doll, has been on the streets for almost 10 years and is a robust girl. She freely roams the streets, and although people seem to feed her and don't mind her presence, I am looked at strangely when I stop and pet her and give her affection. Many Greeks believe that dogs are dirty and carry diseases, so they refuse to touch them and pass this mentality on to their children.
Dogs that have guardians here may sometimes be kept for utility but never touched their entire lives. So many of the stray dogs are abandoned dogs that once had homes. Others have suffered terrible cruelty and mistreatment. Many of them long for affect ion but are too scared to come near because of terrible experiences they have had with humans. It is heartbreaking to see the longing in their eyes and yet their fear of coming near.
Others have obviously lived with people in closer proximity but they've either outgrown their puppyhood, are not fulfilling their utility (in the case of hunting dogs), or simply became too much of a bother.
In the outlying villages, there are all types of dogs. We start a day of trekking, from Monodendri through the Vikos Gorge to Papingo. In the village of Papingo, there are many cats and a few dogs, as I remembered from last year. This is a village that is more of a tourist destination for Greeks as well as Europeans. Being such, there is not as much of a stray population and those that are here often get fed by the tourists from other countries. We had one stray dog that went running with us one morning and then joined us for breakfast where we were staying.
In Konitsa, however, there are small packs of dogs that are likely abandoned pets or hunting dogs that have been dumped off in the mountains and have wandered into the village looking for food. At night, you can hear the barking of the packs in the distance. Sadly, it is easy to see how this is sometimes viewed as a problem. What is unfortunate is the means that is sometimes used to solve the problem, poison. These are prime reasons why our work distributing educational materials on sterilization, poisoning and abandonment is so important.
Here are links to parts I, II, III , IV and VI of Zoe's journey.
