The Municipality of Volos has massively “deported” stray dogs from the city in Central Greece to remote and wild areas of Mt Pelion and left them there without shelter or access to water and sufficient food.
Young and older dogs roam free without health care, vaccination or sterilization, are exposed to all possible weather conditions, are often killed by vehicles.
Local animal lovers have started a petition demanding the end of this brutal and inhumane practice that certainly does not solve the problem of the stray population and it only relocates it without taking into consideration the consequences.
PETITION
“In our city, strays are being collected and transported to remote areas, such as Chania in Pelion, Pliasidi, Sesklo or the former shelter in MOZA.
There they have no shelter to protect themselves, nor access to water, while the feeders that have been placed are not sufficient.
In Chania, in winter they are at the mercy of snow and low temperatures and the few feeders are too few for shy dogs to approaching and are driven to starvation.
In MOZA, they are found next to a highway, where they are directly at risk from passing vehicles, and several have even been found dead.
This practice is inhumane and does not solve the problem of the large number of strays! The law states that they must be sterilized, vaccinated and returned to their familiar environment.
The Municipality of Volos claims that it removes them after complaints of attacks. However, we cannot condemn all dogs, because of one complaint! Most strays are harmless and do not deserve such a fate!
The competent service of the Municipality of Volos, instead of seeking cooperation with animal-loving citizens to achieve proper management of strays, has led citizens to lose trust in the Municipality.
Many are now hesitant to declare or sterilize the strays they care for, fearing that, instead of being returned to their neighborhood, they will end up abandoned in remote, inhospitable areas.
WE DEMAND:
Immediate return of strays to their neighborhoods, as provided for by law.
Installation of feeders and waterers throughout the city.
Mass sterilizations and strict controls on breeders and hunters.
End to abandoning animals in unsuitable, deserted areas.
The lives of defenseless strays are at risk and we are called to stand against injustice for them. We sign to demand the legal and ethical management of strays in Volos!
WE SIGN – WE CLAIM – WE RESPECT LIFE”
You can sign the Petition here at charge.org and spread the word for greater impact and large number of signatures.
Thank you!
PS Volos municipality is not the only one in Greece that “deports” stray dogs to remote areas hoping to hide the problem under the carpet. In year 2025, and despite the money municipalities collect form the EU to deal with stray animals, human pockets are more hungry than defenseless souls…
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This is heartbreaking and so disappointing . I truly believed the Greek government was starting to help and protect animals! Whoever decided this is no soul. Shame on them all
Let’s pray this petition helps all these beautiful dogs.
Perhaps if the mayor’s of cities carrying out these practises had to spend a few weeks in Korydallos Prison they might rethink their ideas? As far as I can see they face no disincentive. Greece does have laws but they never seem to apply to those in authority?
As a jogger who has twice been bitten seriously by stray dogs, I have a different view point. Stray dogs are NOT welcome in Volos.
My (previously stray) Greek dog has just given me a friendly nudge for signing this. Or maybe he just wants his dinner !
We have two trips to Greece booked this year. We will not be going to Volos or anywhere in Pelion. We would rather spend our money in areas where animals are cared for.
Once again it is a case of ‘NIMBYs’ shifting the problem elsewhere.
What a disgrace.
Here, on Zakynthos, we have stray dogs and cats and over our 19 years living here we have rescued many
strays and either rehomed them or adopted them, as have many locals, both expats and Greeks.
Sterilization is part of the answer but also a shift in people’s attitudes toward animals in general.
Central government must shoulder much of the blame for not censuring the relevant authorities and ensuring
the law is enforced.
All talk and no action.