GREECE/ USA: ANIMAL RIGHTS GROUP SAYS THOUSANDS OF STRAY DOGS ARE BEING POISONED IN ATHENS AS PART OF THE PREPARATIONS FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES

Record ID: 505831

  • Title: GREECE/ USA: ANIMAL RIGHTS GROUP SAYS THOUSANDS OF STRAY DOGS ARE BEING POISONED IN ATHENS AS PART OF THE PREPARATIONS FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES
  • Date: 11th August 2004
  • Summary: (W1)NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, USA (AUGUST 11, 2004) (REUTERS) SCU SOUNDBITE) (English) GILLIS SAYING: "What happens in Greece, and it's usual and customary, is that poison is readily available over the counter. A cocktail of herbicides, pesticides and rat poison is normally places in what they call 'Keftedes,' and the cocktail is called 'fola,' which is sort of a colloquial expression for poison. And because the street dogs are normally starving, they'll pick at the bait, they'll eat and many dogs die in a matter of hours and other dogs suffer a brutal agonizing death which can take one to two to three days." CLOSE OF GILLIS HANDS SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) GILLIS SAYING: "We estimate 80 percent of the abandoned dog population of Athens and the greater Attica area have been exterminated by mass poisoning."
  • Embargoed: 26th August 2004 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, USA / ATHENS AND UNIDENTIFIED LOCATIONS IN GREECE
  • City:
  • Country: Greece Usa
  • Topics: Environment,General,Health,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVABVDFRT43W8HX4J33CSUCIOVAD
  • Story Text: Animal rights group says thousands of stray dogs are poisoned to death in run up to the Athens Olympic games.
    As Athens puts its best foot forward for the upcoming Olympic games, animal rights activists say that tens of thousands of stray dogs have been poisoned to death as part of a "cleaning up" process.
    Athens is known for having a large stray dog population.
    Marijo Anne Gillis, founder of the animal rights group 'Welfare for Animals in Greece,' has been an campaigning for the rights of animals in Greece for 30 years. She previously lived in Greece for 14 years, and this year returned to the country 4 times after she heard from local activists that large numbers of stray dogs were turning up poisoned to death.
    Gillis explained exactly how she says the dogs are dying.
    "What happens in Greece, and it's usual and customary, is that poison is readily available over the counter. A cocktail of herbicides, pesticides and rat poison is normally places in what they call 'Keftedes,' and the cocktail is called 'fola,' which is sort of a colloquial expression for poison. And because the street dogs are normally starving, they'll pick at the bait, they'll eat and many dogs die in a matter of hours and other dogs suffer a brutal agonizing death which can take one to two to three days," said Gillis.
    "We estimate eighty percent of the abandoned dog population of Athens and the greater Attica area have been exterminated by mass poisoning."
    Gillis has produced a 5 minute video which allegedly documents the poisoning of the stray dogs as well as the cruel conditions inside the animal shelters recently set up to house stray dogs. The footage was shot by Gillis and other animal activists in Athens over a period of months.
    Exactly who is responsible for killing the dogs is not known. Gillis said the likely culprits include overzealous local officials who take matters into their own hands.
    Gillis also blames what she calls a culture that doesn't believe in neutering or spaying.
    The Greek government officially condemned the practice. However, Gillis said she blames them for not coming out strongly and publicly condemning the killings.
    Gillis was asked what the Greek government can do now.
    "For the Greek Prime Minister to issue a public proclamation to the nation of Greece denouncing animal cruelty and wilful neglect in every possible form. We would like to see the Greek government invite specific animal welfare organizations with the expertise and the prowess and the know how to come into the country and to be able to help them," said Gillis.
    The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) posted a statement on their website also condemning the killings, but were unavailable for interview.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register