Horses die in agony after thrown off cliffs on Mt Parnitha (Graphic Images)

The bodies of two horses were found at the bottom of cliffs, a steep slope on the Parnitha mountain, just a few kilometers north of the municipality of Fyli in north-western Athens.

The bodies of the horses who most likely found a violent death were found by volunteers feeding stray animals in the area on Saturday.

NGO “Ippothesis”, the Panhellenic Equine Welfare Society and some volunteers posted horrific images of the poor animals, noting that ““In 2023 the equines in Greece remain animals of a lesser God.”

It is suspected that the horses were pushed off the cliffs by the owners.

The horses look badly injured as from the fall they would have probably tried to mount or dismount but their strength gave out and they died agonizing deaths.

The horse cadavers were already bearing marks of attacks by wild and stray animals.

Apparently, the shameful event is not at all occasional but is a regular practice in that abandoned part of the “Attica Green District”. About 7 months ago in October 2022 there was a similar incident at the exact same spot.

Μost likely, the animals (old, sick, or just unwanted) were either chased to the cliff or thrown down the cliff alive.

The choice of the spot is not random as there is no visibility from passersby on the street. Bones of other animals are also found at the site.

It is recalled that the body of another “useless” horse was found in exactly the same spot in October 2022.

Ζητούμε άμεσα νεκροψία των αλόγων και απομάκρυνση τους @hellenicpolice @theodorikakosp@gpatoulis @MinagricPress@MakisVoridishttps://t.co/l3mr7Hubni pic.twitter.com/XxQ8oCSqqX

— ippothesis (@ippothesisGR) May 15, 2023

Ippothesis filed a complaint at the Greek Police urging for a thorough and immediate autopsy, tracing of the owners if the horses had electronic markings and demanding that those responsible to be located and punished accordingly.

The “Ecological Alliance for the Attica Region”, in collaboration with Ippothesis, filed also a complaint and a request  to the President of the Regional Council of Attica, Mr. Dimopoulos Georgios .” with the following requests:

1. Autopsy of the unfortunate animals with the aim of elucidating the causes of their death and finding any transmissible infectious diseases,
2. Control of their registration in the Veterinary service of the relevant Regional Unit, for their subsequent tracking and for finding those responsible for the heinous crime and,
3. Subsequent dignified burial of the horses and of those others who had a similar fate in that abandoned part of the “Attica Green District”.

Although responsible animal ownership and care should always be a minimum requirement, many of the health and welfare problems currently facing equines in Greece demonstrate that this requirement is often overlooked.

Greece has incorporated some of the EU directives concerning equines without, however, having an adequate legal framework. It should be noted that on October 21, 2022, the process of electronic registration of their equine animals in the Unified Digital Portal of the State has been delayed for many years and after the struggle of organizations. In particular. Ippothesis union made complaints to the European Union to force the Greek state to implement the European regulation. However, it does not implement any control mechanism.

Horses and donkeys abuse are common in Greece and have been happening all the times. However, due to citizens awareness more and more incidents come to the news lately.