My Dogysey

A dear friend of mine told me she was under terrorist attack. By two dogs. Yes, you read it right. Dog terrorist attackers. Well, sort of. She may have been a bit overdramatic when she used these words, but the gal IS Greek by heritage (you know, the people who perfected drama and tragedies to a tee?), so she's allowed to be.

Too cute to be a terrorist, right? Picture by Katerina Lorenzatos Makris

My friend is currently staying on the beautiful Greek island Kefalonia, where she and her husband received her aunt and uncle's home in exchange for taking care of them after they became ill. Over a year ago, she came to Greece to try and repair the house enough to keep it from falling apart, but, unfortunately, she just can't stop rescuing the poor abandoned Greek dogs. Which is how she got the two 'terrorists' and the reason why she has been away from her hubby in California for such a long time.*

Of course, the two pretty pooches aren't really terrorists. But because they chewed (a.k.a. destroyed) everything the moment she turned her back on them, the house looked like it was under terrorist attack.

Anyway, when she asked me to please come over to take the troublesome twosome off her hands, by flying them to their foster and adoption families in Holland, I agreed in a heartbeat. So, off I went. To meet the cutest terrorists ever.

Shelter life

(Un?)fortunately for me, planning the trip took so long that, once I arrived on the beautiful island of Kefalonia, the terrorists had fled the country. Someone else had offered to liberate Katerina by being a flight partner (and both of them have been adopted into amazing homes).

To say my trip to Kefalonia was thus in vain, would be incorrect. For one, I was the flight partner of 4 supersweet doggies who had been rehabilitated by Linda van der Riet. Second, the trip allowed me to finally meet my amazing friend Katerina Lorenzatos Makris in real life. Up to then, I only knew her via Facebook!

She had the great idea of going to the local shelter, ARK, to profile some of the dogs there in order to increase their chances of getting adopted. ARK is bursting at the seams. It was built to shelter 75-100 dogs, but now houses over 200!

The contestants for World's Sweetest Dog. Picture by Katerina Lorenzatos Makris.

Once we arrived, it was easy to see that all the dogs there, and I mean every single one, were adorable, affectionate and so, so ready for a family of their own! It was like they were all participating in a contest of who could wag their tail hardest, lick my hands the best and just be the overall best dog possible. Heart warming and heart breaking at the same time. (A video of the shelter is on the Facebook page of Dog Rescue Greece)

After the canines, Marina Machado Kappatou, ARK's driving force, guided us into the kitty pen. And, oh my, what happened in there was...

It's a kind of magic

Once we got into the kitty pen, Marina gestured to me that I should squat down. The second I went down, I was swamped by cats! Two climbed on to my lap (nails in!), and two tried to jump on my back (also, without nails). And, like the dogs, these kitties were just so incredibly sweet! I managed to gently shake three of them off, and held one black kitty in my arms. He started to hug me tightly, just like my own Greek cat Ozzy does, and I just melted. I fell for him. Hard. And decided right then and there that this was one special kitty, who deserved his own home.

Love at first sight/head rub

Well, I guess you know what happened next... Once I got home, I discussed it with my boyfriend and our 2 other cats (who didn't have a lot to say), and put the adoption wheels in motion. Now, 4 weeks later, I am on my way to pick up Zorro, the latest addition to our family! Just hope Zorro will be able to cast his spell on our cats, like he did with me.

 Oh, and in case you're looking to fall in love/adopt: Zorro has two brothers who are just as sweet and are still at ARK, waiting to be adopted. For more info, you can contact ARK through their Facebook page, Friends of ARK (Animal Rescue Kefalonia).

1 of Zorro's brothers. Equally sweet, little bit more mischievous

*You can read how she picked up her two 'terrorists' here: http://www.spicystoriessavelives.com/puppy-on-a-chain-will-never-be-chained-again/

http://dozendogdiaries.blogspot.gr/2013/01/princess-somewhat-hairy-of-greek-castle.html

Come fly with me!

For a sun loving girl like me, living in a sun deprived country like the Netherlands, Greece is the perfect holiday destination. It has everything I want my holiday address to have: lots of sunshine, beautiful beaches, great food, cultural sites everywhere and the local people are just so nice!

Ruins of Aesklepion at Epidavros

 But there's more. Unfortunately. The locals may be super kind to tourists such as myself, they do not show the same hospitality to the stray animals you find roaming the streets (and high ways). Far from it.

Here a stray, there a stray...

The problem of stray animals is huge in Greece. On the mainland in the summer time, you cannot go for a 30 minute drive without seeing at least one skinny dog standing by the side of the road, looking at you with the saddest eyes you have ever seen.

Almost all of the dogs you see standing by busy roads, were not born 'in the wild', but used to have an owner. An owner who got bored with it, found its upkeep too expensive, or just decided to get rid of the dog because the German Shepherd puppy he/she bought grew up.

And since most Greek people do not bother to spay/neuter their pet, there is an endless stream of puppies born to the abandoned animals.

Kroepoek. A 6-month old puppy who had been hanging around the local supermarket for 3 days before I decided to step in and take him home. He now lives in Germany, thanks to Achaic Society for the Care of Animals.

Help a stray

Seeing all those poor, lost souls on our way to an ancient architectural site, or another nice outing, made me so desperate. And knowing I couldn't do anything constructive to help them (like donating to the local shelter, because there IS no local shelter) just added to the frustration.

But then, while looking around online, I found out that there is something you, as a tourist, can do for those abandoned animals. It's easy, really rewarding and... Free! You can help by... becoming a flight partner!

 Local shelters and animal support groups do their best to help as many animals as they can, by nursing them back to health and fostering them (with up to 10 dogs per volunteer!) while looking for a new forever home. But Greeks hardly ever adopt grown dogs. So, these groups turn to organizations abroad for help. Organizations in Western- Europe (Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, etc.), where there are no stray dogs and dogs are valued as pets. As a flight partner, you are a stray's ticket out of hell and to its bright future with a new family, to a life where it will be loved.

How it works

When you volunteer as a flight partner, that's all you need to do: volunteer to be a flight partner. The rescue groups will take care of the rest. They will book the dog/cat on the flight, make sure the animal is healthy, chipped, has had all the necessary vaccinations and has a valid passport. They will also bring the animal to the airport with the proper transportation cage, check the animal in for you and help you get through customs (Greek officials can get grumpy and noisy when there are animals involved. Just let the rescue group talk to (or yell back at) them, it will work out). And, of course, they will pay for the animal's actual flight.
So, what do YOU have to do? Show up at the airport. Preferably on time.

When you arrive at your destination, the animals are wheeled out by personnel. You gather the animals and your suitcases and roll out of the luggage hall to the arrivals area. There, you will be met by another volunteer who will drive the animal to its foster home or (if extremely lucky) forever home.

Lucy, a doggy we helped to fly to safety thanks to a great cooperation between Stray Gang Rhodos and Stichting AAI.

Normally, I want my vacation to last forever and don't want to go  home. But when I'm a flight partner, it's different. I know that, by returning home, I have helped at least one lucky cat or dog to a life of bliss. And although I know there are still so many unfortunate animals left, I will have helped to save at least one. That's what I call: ending your vacation on a high.