Zoe Katsulos of inside/out shares some of her experiences helping stray animals in Greece Part VI
By Zoe Katsulos
June 19
In Konitsa, a small pack of strays greets us at our guest house. A couple of them are Greek hunting dogs, probably abandoned. One of those is a sweet, gentle female who was so emaciated, it just broke our hearts. She hung around and we went off to dinner determined to at least give her a good meal while we were there.
We returned with our doggie bag and fed her. A couple of us had already gotten attached to her because she had such a sweet disposition and eyes that could just melt you. We decided to mount a rescue and bring her back to Ioannina where she could be spayed, fostered and possibly be rehomed abroad. There would not be much call for her in Greece; very few dogs are adopted within Greece.
I snuck her into my room and she stayed with me that night. She ended up sleeping on the bed with me and being a complete angel. She of course had tons of fleas and ticks but I wasn't much concerned. She was just too sweet to deny.
In the morning, we scrambled with logistics, since we were headed for a day of rafting. Our driver agreed to let us take the dog in the van with us, so we could take her back to Ioannina where she could be tested for leishmaniasis and be spayed. She was beginning her cycle of heat, so she would need to be sterilized before we could put her with any other dogs.
We were lucky enough to find a vet who would be willing to do it that day, pending the outcome of the leishmaniasis test. If she tested positive, we would probably have to euthanize her because she would not be able to be rehomed. With high hopes, and a plan for a rescue, we loaded her into the van. She laid with her head in my lap nearly the entire way, sweetly looking up at me periodically.
After an hour or so ride, we got her to the vet and crossed our fingers while they tested her. The results are obtainable in about 10 minutes, so we nervously waited. The vet returned with crushing news: She was positive.
We steeled ourselves for what we needed to do. We were sparing Lucy, as we had named her, from a horror of a terrible prolonged and painful death in the streets from the disease. She would also be in full heat soon and unable to defend herself against all of the male street dogs. She probably would barely be able to support a litter of puppies and could likely leave them motherless before they were weaned.
We sent Lucy off surrounded by love and people around her who cared. This was the first time she'd been surrounded by love during her short life.
Here are links to parts I, II, III, IV and V of Zoe's journey.
