Αρχική Δεσποζόμενα και αδέσποτα ζώα συντροφιάςΆρθρο 22 Τελικές και μεταβατικές διατάξειςΣχόλιο του χρήστη Valerie Peach | 7 Απριλίου 2011, 16:34
  • Σχόλιο του χρήστη 'Valerie Peach' | 7 Απριλίου 2011, 16:34

    In 2003 the provision of municipal animal shelters was a requirement and determined in law. 8 years on despite the availability of financial grants to aid and assist the provision of these the legal requirements have NOT been met by the greater majority of municipalities. In 2011 the economic situation is more difficult. These same requirements are now not only specified again (as if new and innovative) BUT a timescale of 2 years for completion is stated. The impracticality of achieving this is obvious PLEASE NOTE In Kilkis municipality it was stated years ago that would comply with the law and build an animal welfare shelter. For over 2 years whilst this has been their stated objective they have not yet obtained relevant permissions for planning installation of services or obtaining finance to acquire land or relevant licenses in order to lay a single brick. (TWO YEARS!) This was and probably still is the animal welfare situation in Kilkis http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_94g8AZZmT4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBCC7C49FsI&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YigIqhQRl_E&feature=related In Rhodes the animals shelter is not licensed, it is full to the brim, it is suffering from lack of finance and has closed its doors to any further needy animals, which proves the point that this facility is neither adequate or working for the benefit of its confined animals. For some considerable time it has been unable to provide the required standard of animal care. The shelter was completely abandoned for months whilst the elections took place contracts for workers ended new contracts unable to be formed – the shelter staff were in effect dismissed and not replaced. Animals were completely left to cope unattended by the municipality, but for the intervention of volunteers and concerned dismissed and unpaid shelter workers a situation which was extremely serious would have become a an enormous catastrophe. This is not an isolated incident it happens on each occasion there are elections. http://www.keeptalkinggreece.com/2010/11/11/rhodes-animal-shelter-no-solution-so-far-upd/ In Corfu an animal shelter ‘so called’ exists – where little or no care is offered, the place is filthy and public access denied. There are other notorious illegal shelters which are utilised by uncaring and dismissive municipalities. These are no more than dumping grounds permitted and used to rid the streets of the unsightly presence of neglected and needy animals. These hovels offer no animal care or welfare, no re homing or adoption facilities, dogs are incarcerated for the rest of their lives amongst filth, untreated disease and injuries, they give birth in these conditions because no sterilisations take place. A never ending circle of misery. In FLORENTINA in DRAMA and in KASTORIA, all of which are considered wealthy municipalities... Have made provision for the welfare of animals......They too have provided places out of town and out of sight ‘so called’ animal welfare shelters and they are all APPAULLING. In Chios the whole animal problem was handed over to a private company who erected a fence around a plot of land in a remote area. This is used as a collection compound. The company make charges to the municipality for this collection service - there are no details available with regard to health provisions and ongoing care of these animals still less adoption facilities and the chances of rehoming. Accounting details are unavailable to interested and concerned parties. http://www.corfudogs.org/crises.htm http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsN0p0XpsRw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ti_Y8mqUleE&feature=related In the grounds of a Greek university a brand new shelter was built, it has never been used, they cannot afford to pay for medical equipment workers or anything else. A brand new shelter stands idle years on. In Heraklion in Crete progressive moves by the municipality to build a shelter. Its construction began in 1994 and took 10 years to complete opening in 2004 at a total cost which varies between 1,000,000 - 1,150,000.000 euros . The completed shelter has maximum capacity for 80 dogs a recent report states ‘The shelter hosts up to 20 dogs for three weeks. Five employees work permanently in the shelter, collecting the stray dogs from the different areas of the municipality, vaccinate them, neuter them and free them again at the area where they were living. For the time being, the shelter doesn’t accept dogs younger than six months of age because they cannot be sterilized and there is not enough space to host them until their vaccinations are done.’ This shelter now suffers from complete starvation of funds. An animal in the area recently rescued and needing surgery necessitated a public appeal to raise money to pay the veterinary services for this vital emergency treatment. The shelter even appeals for old towels and materials for bedding along with medical supplies so vital for ongoing animal treatment. I object most strongly to the continuing complete lack of Government acceptance for the overpopulation of animals in Greece. Dismissal denial and continuously treated as unimportant has resulted in an overwhelming increase in the stray animal population and a continuing worsening of the whole situation. It is time that the Greek government not only recognises this situation as their problem which has been systematically exasperated by their inaction but NOW embraces and accepts responsibility. These new proposals are NOT new in many respects, the only proposal which is laudable is the increase of fines and sentences but sadly even this ignores the simplifying of old, outdated bureaucratic problems and difficulties encountered when still yet some police departments do not accept their obligations in law and fail to accept or log reported incidents. Financing cases to prosecution is expensive and yet again borne by caring animal welfare people and not borne by those found guilty as charged. The mirco chipping proposals with nothing in place to alleviate the costs of this and necessity for free facilities for those who need support are, in my opinion, nothing more than a grand opportunity to increase the profits of the Greek veterinary services. It is indeed ironic that when the facilities are rightfully reinstated after the Greek Government illegal action to deny access to overseas vets it is now seemingly promoted as an innovative measure? The stopping of this service was illegal and has had to be rectified according to the requirements of the EU. There are however still restrictions and difficulties for overseas vets services offering free sterilisation for Greek stray animals – not least amongst these is the distain and condemnation from Greek veterinarians. Whilst these “new” proposals ensure the Veterinary Services of Greece substantial extra income much on the backs of volunteers and charities still yet these services offer nothing and demand more. These are volunteer vets who provide services which the Greek government in cooperation with the Greek Veterinary Services SHOULD provide. There is the only proven humane method to bring overpopulation of animals under control – free or heavily subsidised MASS Sterilisation programs – any and every free service available to help with this should be welcomed and encouraged. The micro chip proposal is irrelevant when considering the much greater importance and need for the obvious and overriding problems. Further to not address the charges for this imposed requirement in law and ignore the consequences - is ASTOUNDING. All costs of these proposals without exception fall squarely on shoulders of volunteers who provide at their cost the only meaningful animal care and welfare provisions in Greece. The costs of your proposals are to be met by these people whose financial support is charity based, money raising activities by volunteers from both Greece and overseas. There is no commitment or concessions for their financial support from those who are responsible for this situation. There are no provision for grants or assistance for any of the animal support people of Greece. I find this deplorable. Economics in Greece and throughout the world have already badly affected the financial support for Greek organisations animal shelters, and all Greek animals. The first cuts everyone makes when faced with financial difficulty is donations and charities. Worse, increased costs to animal shelters following increased prices for animal foodstuff, and equipment. Greece further compounds these difficulties for animal care by raising the level of vat on animal medications. These are the organisations groups and volunteers who are at the forefront of Greek animal welfare they are providing Greece and her animals with a service she is not prepared to provide for herself. In short they require financing not further restrictions burdens and charges, Many of these measures are inappropriate at this time – 1) The costs of them cannot be borne by those who are required to bear them. 2) There is not one shred of evidence that municipalities will provide in 2 years that which they have systematically ignored for the past 8. 3) Plans and expenditure for new shelters are questionable whilst numerous existing Municipality shelters are illegal, badly run, badly equipped and do not provide even basic animal welfare or care 3) There has been no thought or research with regard to the benefit of mass micro chipping. This does nothing to protect animals, reduce numbers or tackle animal overpopulation and increased problems. As these proposals stand, it serves but three purposes increase abandonment of animals on financial grounds place heavier burdens on the backs of animal organisations AND increase income for Greek veterinary services. 4) The micro chipping of ALL cats is completely ludicrous and totally irrelevant. There are no provisions by any state authorities for the collection care or welfare of cats the only law which can be used for their protection is under the general title of ‘suffering caused to animals. Theft of a cat is extremely low, loss of a cat never reported because the obvious and widely used “control” is poisoning. There is nothing whatever to gain via protection or via identification of poisoned cats let alone the hundreds of thousands of free roaming cats. The only benifit again is increased income made via the veterinarian service charges. I am immensely disappointed by these proposals they do not tackle the obvious and vital necessity and priority of mass sterilisations. Whilst theoretically - we all wait for 2 years for these shelters to spring up all over Greece (past records makes this extremely unlikely) - should they materialise they will from the onset be totally inadequate to cope with the animal population explosion which will have taken place during this period. The basis of any animal reforms and progress must commence with education. The myths and misinformation must be challenged and replaced with facts. The whole population of Greece must understand the need to participate and take responsibility for a problem which comes as a result of irresponsibility. This will not happen when their successive governments ignore their obligations and by so doing condone the ongoing increasing problems. Education, explanation, factual information leads to understanding and participation – and – this costs money which needs to be budgeted for and made available. The government of Greece must accept the responsibility for animal welfare which it has systematically failed to do. Costs of this must be met by Greece and its total dependence on volunteers to finance in total the desperate need of so many thousands of Greek animals must be assisted via support through grants and financial assistance via concessions, subsidies and free services.