Last week we received a phonecall from a foreign tourist that there is a big-sized,injured dog in Platanias,who happens to be a privately-owned dog,that being of the owner of a petrol station.We urged her to speak with him for the purpose of the dog to be transported to a vet.Later on,possibly the same tourist,contacted Mrs.Elizabeth Iliaki,president of the animal welfare association ”KYNONIA” and told her that the dog is still there,that although she informed the owner,he did not take the dog to the vet and that she was willing to take it there herself should no other volunteer be found to assist.

After we had been notified of the above,we contacted the police lieutenant Matthew Igglezakis,who although off duty,arrived at the petrol station in ten minutes, in order to press,if need be,the dog’s guardian to take it to the vet.As the lieutenant confirmed,the dog’s guardian was co-operative and advised him that the animal is not injured,only extremely old-18 years of age-that everyone in the area is aware of this,that due to his age,he has mobility problems as well as prostate.Despite this,he committed himself to transporting the dog to the vet and promised to give him a medical certificate of health which he also sent to our association,as well as copies of all tests conducted on the dog.

Due to the fact that the incident instigated attention of dramatic proportions,we received several calls from residents of the area who assured us that ”Mpoumpis” has neither been abused,nor is a victim of an automoblie accident,that he is known many years now and is the ”mascot” of the area.At the same time,the owner himself contacted us and the story ended there.

Later on that same day,the dog’s guardian contacted us and he was especially annoyed as some animal lover attempted to illegally take his dog and in fact,in a violent fashion,which the owner did not allow.We explained to him that this action had not been actualised by a member of our association as the legal procedures had already been set in motion ,and we had already verified that the senior dog lives with love and is regularly seen by a vet,as his 18 years of age bear testament to this fact..

For reasons which we are not in a position to be aware of, but can only assume,the aforementioned story was tampered with,tainted,and evolved into a sappy theatrical performance only for rumours to eventually spread that the owner is a ”monster”.

We leave you to draw your own conclusions.

As far as we are concerned,as an association which takes action, both practically and in principle regarding the protection and welfare of all animals, and which has dealt with hundreds of cases of animal abuse(both active and passive),we consider that this incident defininitely does not indicate any sign of abuse towards the animal,a fact which is ascertained by his age ,as well as by everyone’s account in the neighbourhood,both animal lovers and non-animal lovers.

The major focal point of all who are actively involved in animal welfare,should be the change in man’s behaviour towards animals,the attainment of animal welfare culture through education and information;however when it is deemed necessary, for a joint co-operation between the police and judicial authorities to exist for the protection of animals.

We quote an extract from the letter of the owner himself, as well as one letter of the dozens we received concerning the dog’s living conditions:

”As one of the dog’s owners I would like to say that we have had this specific dog since 2001,we found him in the town square when he was about 6 months-old.

We loved him, and he loved us from the first moment.This dog is characterised by his devotion towrads us,what should I mention first,that he would get onto the motorbike with me and my father just so that he could be with us,my father would take him with him on his fishing trips in the winter…that he escorted my small cousins to school back then every morning,a distance of about 700 metres and he would go by himself 10 minutes before they left school and he would wait to escort them home in the evenings…that he would follow my uncle wherever he went,running after his motorbike even to Gerani or Agia Marina and every night he would sleep on the staircase and as many times as we had tried to put him inside,he didn’t want to,he would cry at the door,he wanted to be outside guarding the place and we were forced to deposit boxes and close a section so that he wouldn’t be cold in the winters.

We know that it is dangerous,in the past he had fallen victim to a car accident and another time he was attacked by a pack of dogs….each time we took care of him and took the risk as this was the only way he was happy.

Everybody knows Mpoumpis in Platanias as we named him then ,and even the tourists who met him on vaction 10 years ago and 15 years ago,do not believe that he is still alive as they mention to us, and they remember him being here at the petrol station and at the square,he is like the mascot of Platanias and of course everybody,but everybody knows who this dog belongs to.Mpoumpis is not a stray as many people think he is because he is not tied up.The dog has never been tied and as many times as we had tried,we did so only after bathing him as he had the habit of lying in the dirt,so we tied him until he dried.

This dog is not merely a pet for us,he is a member of our family in some way.So at the sight of this ”animal welfare” lady pulling the dog with force and our dog shaking,we reacted without striking her as she says.Besides which,with so many professional photographs she would have captured on film whichever ebrasions or marks on her.She also mentions that the dog was haemorraghing which also is not captured in any photograph.

I would also like to mention that the police and specifically,Mr.Igglezakis Matthew,arrived twice.The first time was to ascertain the dog’s condition because it had been reported to him that the dog was disabled whereby he requested that we take him to the vet, and showed his surprise when he saw the dog playing with another dog who happened to pass by at that moment and the second time he saw the dog after he had gone to the vet for tests and he took the tests to hand them over where the reports had been made.

We never expected that someone would come and forcefully take the dog and we have been very upset by this incident and we are angry for being targeted at by certain animal welfare pages on fb,portraying us as torturers,criminals,not going to the vet,cursing us and even threatening us that they will beat and kill us(…)”

Manolis Terezakis

 

A letter from a tourist

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN….

MY NAME IS PATRICIA SEADON AND I HAVE KNOWN BOOBIS AND HIS FAMILY (TERIZAKIS)

FOR NEARLY 20 YEARS.

AT NO TIME HAVE I EVER SEEN BOOBIS MIS TREATED/HUNGRY/THIRSTY….

JUST THE OPPOSITE ACTUALLY…BOOBIS MAYBE GETTING OLD,BUT WHEN HE WANTS HE IS

LIKE A ONE YEAR OLD PUPPY!!!!

HE IS ALSO LOVED BY ALL!!!

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