MOST IMPORTANT OBSTACLES IN AW IN GREECE AND SOLUTIONS
1. General facts
A.
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Owned animals
No official numbers
Growing population
Exacerbated trade, uncontrolled breeding, uncontrolled imports, urbanization
Very high breeding rates:
- Intentional (legal/illegal breeding, hunters)
- Unintentional (don’t bother to neuter)
Low awareness of responsible ownership
Neglect and abuse, especially in rural areas
B. Stray animals
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No official numbers
Massive population
High level of abandonment (unwanted litters, hunting dogs 30-35 % of all dogs in
shelters, AW orgs data)
Extreme abuse
Mass poisoning
Some level of care in urban areas
C. Political framework
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Companion animals under jurisdiction of Ministry of Agriculture
No interest in welfare of pets
Vet Dept known for severe corruption (Strong ties with breeders-traders)
Increasing pet population, promoting pet trade and keeping vet profession
protected (closed) are main targets of Vet lobby in Ministry (staff) and Parliament
(president of Vet. Association is political candidate)
AW orgs perceived as obstacles and harassed.
D. Legal Framework
Since 2003
 mandatory identification/registration, TNR, no kill policy (introduced before Olympic
Games, in attempt to curb international outcry against inhumane treatment of strays)
 Municipalities responsible for setting up TNR programs
Since 2012 new law, same legal outlines but emptied of substance:
 No defined aims, no principles
 No moral / scientific backbone framing relationship between people and animals
 Disorientating to public and Authorities
 Protecting commercial interests instead of companion animals (owned or stray)
When controlling pet trade is acknowledged priority throughout Europe, current
Greek legislation, ironically titled, ‘protection of companion animals from exploitation or
use for lucrative purposes’, makes life impossible for AW workers and NGOs and
leaves pet trade untouched.
E.
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Low level of enforcement
Identification/registration not enforced, not controlled
Veterinary Association never kept proper database
No municipal TNR (99% TNR done and funded by AW Orgs)
Mass poisoning is main -if unofficial- way to deal with strays
2. OBSTACLES TO AW AND STRAY MANAGEMENT
A. The Law (pretends to upgrade animal protection, in fact perpetuates all conditions to
ensure nothing will change)
 Makes TNR impossible by basing procedures on imaginary municipal shelters and
municipal veterinary clinics: Greece has no infrastructure of the sort
 Constant harassment against AW orgs, obstructing rescuing/neutering/rehoming efforts
 Obstruct international assistance
B.
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The Ministry
Unsuitable staff
Not interested in changing cultural attitude
Very bad track record in animal welfare.
Corruption (No will to reduce stray population, used for pressure to obtain funds from
municipal/national budgets. Strays then poisoned and funds diverted)
Systematic opposition to measures that would reduce numbers (free/cheap neuteringidentification, international help)
Vet. Dept officials bribed not to restrict or regulate pet trade
no data on imports/authorized breeders-traders
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C. No infrastructures
 No municipal shelters, no clinics
 No control mechanisms over breeding/trade
D. Veterinary Association/veterinarians
 Vets discourage neutering pets (‘not before a few litters’ - ‘never a pure breed!’)
 Sterilisations overpriced
 Vets untrained
Vets graduate without knowledge of neutering: in rural areas, neutering difficult, risky and
cost prohibiting.
 No EU vets allowed
Although free movement of professionals and free provision of services is
fundamental EU principle, constant lobby has managed to keep EU vets and foreign
help out of Greece. ‘Vets without borders’ attempting to provide relief and cheap
neutering in Greece are neither welcomed nor thanked, but stopped and sued.
3. CONCLUSIONS/SUGGESTIONS
Corporatist mentality of Ministry officials has been let to shape cultural and social ethics of
Greek Society re AW, with devastating consequences for animals and people (emotional
distress, public health issues, increasing clashes between animal loving citizens and
others.
Need for political decisions to create:
a. Parliamentary group
b. AW council, preferably in ministry of Health
c.
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National Action Plan:
Proper legislation following best EU models
Effective restriction and control of pet trade
Responsible ownership and adoptions
Municipal vet clinics
Neutering seminars for Greek vets
neutering programs on national scale with cooperation of Greek and international NGOs
Irini Molfessi
President of the Pan-Hellenic Animal Welfare Federation
Brussels 10 /4/2014
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