Greek officials accused over mass poisoning of stray animals

The Sunday Telegraph ^ | January 26, 2003 | David Harrison

[MadIvan]

The RSPCA has accused the Greek authorities of poisoning thousands of stray cats and dogs, including many pets, in what it fears is a secret campaign to "clean up" the streets of Athens in time for next year's Olympic Games.

The Greek authorities deny any role in the poisonings, which have shocked British tourists, but the RSPCA says that evidence from animal-welfare groups points to official involvement.

Suspicions deepened this month when 40 cats and 15 dogs were found killed by poison in the National Gardens in Athens, where Greece - which holds the European Union presidency - will host key European Union meetings over the next six months.

Vets found plastic dishes containing poison and said the animals - healthy strays that had been looked after by animal-welfare groups - were killed so that they would not be seen by visiting political leaders.

David Bowles, of RSPCA International, which is campaigning against the slaughter, said that poisoning animals was "a barbaric practice happening on a daily basis all over Greece".

The killings were carried out secretly, often by individuals and companies, in a "misguided attempt" to cut the country's large number of strays, he said. "But the mass poisoning in Athens suggests official involvement.

"We are seriously concerned that poisoning is being stepped up with the authorities' approval as we approach the start of the Olympic Games. Poisoning could be seen as a convenient quick-fix solution before the world's cameras arrive in Greece."

Mr Bowles said that along with the many strays being looked after by Greece's fledgling animal welfare groups, pets allowed out by their owners were also falling victim to the poisoners. "That is obviously very distressing for the owners," he said.

Animal welfare groups say that in the past refuse collectors have been used to place poison, and fear that this could be happening again.

Mr Bowles said the Greek government was determined to show the world that it was an advanced country capable of successfully staging such a prestigious event. "If it wants to show that it is a civilised country, then poisoning cats and dogs is the wrong way to go about it," he added.

Poisoning animals is a criminal offence in Greece, but prosecutions are rare. Up to 40,000 stray cats and dogs are on the streets of Athens alone. Many are dumped when owners grow bored with them.

Their numbers have grown quickly because it is illegal to have an animal put down in Greece, and few strays are adopted. The problem is compounded by a "macho mentality" which deems it "unnatural" to neuter cats and dogs as a way of controlling their numbers, according to RSPCA International.

Carol McBeth, the director of the London-based Greek Animal Welfare Fund, said: "The mass killings, just as Greece begins the EU presidency, suggests that the slaughter was officially approved.

It is very alarming and we are fighting to stop thousands of animals being cruelly slaughtered to ensure that the streets of Athens and other parts of Greece are animal-free for the Olympics."

RSPCA International has held talks with ministers and urged them to stop the poisoning and introduce a programme of neutering, shelters, humane destruction and adoption for strays.

The Greek government says it takes the problem of strays seriously and will address it in animal welfare legislation ahead of the Olympics. The RSPCA is concerned, however, that the laws will not be enough to prevent a big increase in poisonings. "Time is running out and poisoning could be seen as a quick, easy solution," said Mr Bowles.

Animal welfare groups plan to demonstrate outside the Greek embassy in Brussels on Thursday. They will hand a 45,000-signature petition to the ambassador, demanding an end to the poisonings.

Alexandros Sandis, the Greek ambassador to London, declined to comment on the RSPCA's allegations. His spokesman admitted that the Greek government was drawing up plans to clear strays off the streets in time for the Olympics, but denied that any poisonings were being carried out with official backing.

"We will be setting up special places where the cats and dogs will be kept during the Games," he said. "We like animals and want to deal with the problem humanely. The embassy guard has two cats and we love them very much."

[MadIvan]

I am not an animal lover by any stretch of the imagination, but the idea of poisoning dogs like this does provoke my "Yuk" reflex.

Pigeons, on the other hand, are entirely different matter. (Click for more.)

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Bump!

[Sungirl]

That is horrible....I hope they end up eating their own poison.

[Happygal]

I hope the Spanish decide to poison all the stray cats on the Canary Islands. It's freakish the way those scrawny vermin slink around.

(I'm NO cat lover).

[Happygal]

Their numbers have grown quickly because it is illegal to have an animal put down in Greece, and few strays are adopted.

This is a ridiculous law. And 40,000 stray animals in a city like Athens is ludicrous. It looks like the PETA style people got one victory in the country (by not allowing ANY animal to be put down), but regular household pets are NOW becoming vermin. In Ireland, a stray dog is picked up by the County Dog Warden. If he is not collected by the animal owner, or 'rescued' by someone looking for an animal he gets shot. (That's the way it is in my county..other counties use lethal injection for the animals, but it's more cost effective and equally as quick to shoot them, seemingly).

[Ichabod Walrus]

You don't personally know anyone suffering from mad cow disease do you?

It would explain a lot....

[MadIvan]

You don't personally know anyone suffering from mad cow disease do you?

No, do you? It would explain why you insist on making posts like this.

Ivan

[willyboyishere]

Call it "The Socrates Syndrome".