Does anyone know what the fate of the feral CATS of Athens is?

Sharon Talbert
Friends of Campus Cats

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"We believe that a healthy, sterilised, vaccinated stray is not
dangerous, unhealthy or unpleasant," added Kostas Handras, president of
the Pan-Hellenic Veterinary Association.

ATHENS, GREECE

ATHOC decides to let sleeping dogs lie

CORDELIA MADDEN
BACKTRACKING from its previous plan to place stray dogs in shelters to
present a neat, canine-free capital during next year's Olympic Games,
Athens 2004 Organising Committee (ATHOC) announced on June 26 that
Attica's estimated 25,000 homeless dogs will be allowed to remain where
they are - once they have been sterilised, vaccinated and identified.

Categorically denying rumours that animals will be mass euthanised -
rumours that have intensified to such a pitch that many animal lovers
have called for a boycott of the Athens Games - ATHOC head Gianna
Angelopoulos-Daskalaki detailed plans for a "realistic, contemporary and
responsible solution" that is supported by the agriculture ministry,
Athens-Piraeus prefecture, Athens municipality, veterinarians'
association and both local and international animal charities.

Under the programme, which closely follows the agriculture ministry's
new legislation for animals, stray dogs will be collected, vaccinated
and sterilised, then allowed back into their old haunts.
Angelopoulos-Daskalaki stressed that ATHOC's plan, which concerns only
stray dogs, not cats, rejects euthanasia.

Deputy Agriculture Minister Fotis Hatzimichalis reiterated his February
11 stance - when ATHOC presented it unpopular plan to create vast
shelters in which to house Attica's strays - by saying: "This is our
response to those who have accused our country of creating crematoria
for stray dogs... This progressive plan is an example to other countries
that collect all strays and euthanise them within eight-20 days if they
are not rehomed."

"There will be strays on the streets during the Olympics," Hatzimichalis
vouchsafed. "We will show the world that Greeks can live in harmony with
street dogs."

"We believe that a healthy, sterilised, vaccinated stray is not
dangerous, unhealthy or unpleasant," added Kostas Handras, president of
the Pan-Hellenic Veterinary Association.

The agriculture ministry has already pledged 1 million euros towards the
project. The rest of the funding will come from local authorities.

Athens Vice-Mayor Tonia Kanellopoulou revealed that her municipality is
in the process of creating three state clinics for sterilisation of
strays, and called for the help of the veterinary association and local
welfare organisations to lend a hand to make the project work.
Kanellopoulou added that the municipality was preparing to launch an
information campaign titled "No New Strays".

Hatzimichalis told the June 26 press conference that it was important to
introduce humane education classes at primary and secondary schools to
ensure the next generation does not grow up with the same "throwaway"
attitude towards pets.

In the words of Athens-Piraeus super-prefect Fofi Gennimata: "Every dog
on the street is there because one of us dumped it."