Too old to find a furever home. Ongoing medical needs scare off fur-parents. And yet. Several rescued cats and three rescued dogs, they all have found a loving home in Crete. In the arms of a caring person. Molly Mason. The British expat not only takes care of the cats and dogs she has rescued over the years.
Seventeen years ago Molly landed in Crete, to soon be shocked by the local brutality towards animals: 2 cats and her elderly dog who had come all the way from the UK were poisoned.
Ever since then, she has been working tirelessly for animal welfare and animal rights, does everything possible against animal abuse.
A true animal lover who inspires everyone who knows her.
Morrow – 16 years old, totally deaf boy
And now Molly needs our help. Because, as everybody knows: Costs for animal care can easily explode.
“There is nowhere other than our home to offer cats and kittens which are ill, need ongoing care, are blind, need surgery or who are simply elderly and need daily medication,” she write on her website.
Many of the cats nursed back to health cannot be returned to the streets, they need a safe and secure home. And forever homes are rare. Especially for those with special needs.
Everybody living in Greece of the economic crisis is well aware of the problem: the number of stray cats -and dogs – increased dramatically, owners abandoned their pets on the streets as they probably could not make their own ends meet. Many pets landed on the streets and thus without sterilization with the effect that the population went soon out of control.
“We love each and everyone of these cats, we have strong bonds with them all. There are those we have raised by hand, those we have nursed though traumatic events, protracted surgery, eye removal and poisoning…..sadly the numbers of cats in need are increasing dramatically, but worse we are now we too are increasingly struggling to meet costs for their care.“
19 cats and 3 dogs – all rescued – need our help.
Some of the beauties
“Shonee literally screamed for help when just a few weeks old. We found her in the local graveyard above our home. She was as thin as a rake and covered in paint. Worse she had the worst case of diarrhea I have ever seen. Shonee barely survived this situation because she had ingested the paint trying to clean herself. She has been poisoned twice during her life, the second time required daily visits to the vets over Christmas and the New Year and force feeding……she lives to tell the tale. She is now 16 years old.”
Millie
“Millie followed my husband up from our village, crying and dragging her back leg. We had never seen her before but she was in obvious need of help and support. We traveled many miles to consult with a specialist vet because she was in obvious pain.
This very serious break had happened long before, the broken bones had set themselves into a crooked shape and trapped nerves. The only decision we could make was for her to have her leg amputated. Intensive surgery, aftercare, and rehabilitation followed. This isn’t Millie’s only health issue, she has a cataract caused by grass entering her eye socket this caused abscesses and eventually the removal of teeth!! We monitor her continuously but meantime Millie is an extremely affectionate girl, ever grateful for the care we offered and now very active.”
Millie is estimated to be 9 years old.
Felix
We found Felix on a cold winter afternoon. A tiny black kitten hidden in the car engine.
“Later when examined, I found Felix had burned the pads on all four paws, he also had a burn on his head. After intensive treatment his feet improved and then he developed cat flu and passed it on…….We were treating him and others right through the following months until eradicated.“
“This tiny scrap was brought to our attention by tourists. She was previously surviving on cheese and ham. Until her cries were heard. Quite alone, no mum, no siblings. Her refuge was a few bushes in the middle of a huge hotel complex…”
“We found Bennett in our village hiding behind a stone at the side of the road he was alone, skinny and very small.
Initially he needed bottle feeding and treatment for an infected eye. Later he developed a serious urinary infection and had to have a catheter fitted for 10 days, He requires special urinary tract food as ongoing treatment.”
Nineteen cats and three dogs, all rescued, cry for help. Can you hear them?
There are several ways to help:
- a donation – not matter how small or big
- a virtual adoption
- a handmade calendar for 2018
- food, medicine donation
You can read the stories of the rescued cats and how Molly came about helping the strays on Crete on Molly Mason website here.
You can make a donation here
Thinkin about a virtual adoption? Click here
Buy this exceptional pet calendar 2018 for £9 inc uk p&p.
Or contact here for donations in goods.
Just think about it: Once the Greek summer is over and tourists are gone, stray cats and dogs are usually left alone without food and care. The purring kitten you fed at the taverna, the cute puppy you played with outside a shop are now on their own. It is up to the local animal lovers to help them make it through the winter.
Please, help. No matter how small or big your help, it surely Makes A Difference.
Thank you.
A huge thank you for covering the situation in Crete with regard to care and rescue of stray animals.
Many volunteer groups hear struggle valiantly to answer the calls of tourists who find sick injured or abandoned kittens and puppies, sadly, the limited spaces we have and finance is too quickly exhausted.
We desperately need foster carers throughout Crete willing to help a kitten or puppy until a forever home can be established. Any help is appreciated and any animal care groups in Crete would be more than pleased to give details.
Thanking you again, Molly
Crete is just an example of the situation across Greece. A permanent problem that worsened due to the crisis.
it was my pleasure, Molly.
Now then, KTG – you have posted things that I have agreed with and you have posted things that I have not agreed with, and sometimes I have been maybe too caustic when replying. This is a great post and I salute you. Well done. Donation on the way.
thank you in the name of the cats
I have met this wonderful lady in person. So very pleased you post this article about her.
It isn’t only rescuing animals. But also she is a true animalworker when it comes to courtcases, involved and well read about the laws in Greece.
I wish she gets the support she so much deserves after fighting so hard on Crete for animalwelfare.
We work with two (British-run) agencies who rescue dogs (and some cats) on Crete. They are neutered, chipped, and vaccinated (often paid for out of the pockets of those of us who care) and are then re-homed into loving homes elsewhere in Europe, and escorted there by volunteers who often fly back and forth between Heraklion and other European airports a couple of times a week. The agencies on Crete research the new homes as much as they are able and no animal is re-homed unless the Crete agencies are certain the animal is going to a good home that can give it the love, care, and attention they need. Despite all this, there is an aggressive and very loud group of local Greeks who believe that any animal that is born on Crete must remain on Crete. They spread false lies and misinformation, even claiming that the agencies send dogs for cosmetic research or vivisection! It is difficult enough, time consuming enough, and expensive enough for us to help save the stray dogs (and cats) of Crete without having Greek people actively trying to stop us!