What a load of codswallop

Many of you might be aware that there is a seal wintering on Ios and some friends of mine did some research on the animal and came up with the following information:

PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH THE SEAL! IT IS AN ENDANGERED AND PROTECTED SPECIES, NOT A PLAYTHING!

Our wonderful friend Mark Collins did research on the seal and here is what he writes:

Ios Greece Island Our famous seal name perdita alma (lost soul) i called the seal protection centre in greece to find out more about him as alot of people been asking questions ,the seal centre know all about him ,Hes a boy and at this moment hes moulting (the changing of fur),He needs piece and quiet and not to be disturbed as when moulting he needs to regain his energy as moulting drains them and they need lots of sleep , Human touch can cause him harm espcially if you have a cold (flu) etc , Do not attempt to put water on him and do not drag him in the sea as hes on a mission to replinish his looks !! (like when you go to the hairdressers) Do not feed him its a big no no !! Please dont let any dogs near him if walking the dog he will get very stressed ,also be careful driving along port beach as he some times crosses the road drive slowly ,

**** He is one of the most critically endangered mammals on our planet. ***please share … AWARNESS OF THE IOS SEAL !

Another friend has translated the gist into Greek:

Το όνομα της γνωστής φώκιας του νησιού μας Perdita Alma (χαμένη ψυχή).

Κάλεσα το Ελληνικό κέντρο προστασίας για να μάθω περισσότερα, καθώς αρκετός κόσμος έκανε ερωτήσεις, και το κέντρο ήξερε τα πάντα για τη φώκια.

Αρχικά είναι αρσενική και αυτό το διάστημα αλλάζει τρίχωμα. Χρειάζεται ηρεμία και γαλήνη καθώς μαδεί, διότι χάνει πολύ απο την ενέργεια του και για την αποκατάσταση της ενέργειας χρειάζεται πολύ ύπνο.

Το ανθρώπινο άγγιγμα μπορεί να προκαλέσει βλάβες, ειδικά αν κάποιος που θα προσπαθήσει να τον αγγίξει είναι κρυωμένος ή πάσχει απο κάποια ίωση – ασθένεια.

ΜΗΝ επιχειρήσετε να του ρίξετε νερό ή να τον τραβήξετε πίσω στην θάλλασα διότι βρίσκεται στην αποστολή της φύσης του να αλλάξει την εξωτερική του εμφάνιση (λ.χ όταν εμείς πηγαίνουμε στο κομμωτήριο).

ΜΗΝ τον ταϊσετε !!! ΑΠΑΓΟΡΕΥΕΤΑΙ !!!

Κρατήστε τα σκυλιά μακριά διότι και μόνο στη θέα ενούς άλλου ζώου επέρχεται άγχος στον μικρό μας φίλο.

Επίσης προσπαθήστε να προσέχετε με τα αυτοκίνητα σας καθώς οδηγείτε στον δρόμο της παραλίας του λιμανιού. Κάποιες φορές περνάει το δρόμο.

Είναι ενα απο τα πιό επίφοβα είδη προς εξαφάνιση παγκοσμίως.

*** Παρακαλώ κοινοποιήστε το… Προσέχουμε την φώκια της Ίου !!!

What are my credentials to comment on this? Before my husband got ill, we started up the Ios Animal Welfare Society to try and create a bridge between the animal-lovers of Ios and the authorities and also to provide information concerning animal topics and info about vet visits to the island. Unfortunately, I had to dissolve the society because of my husband’s illness and evential death. However, I have continued to keep the Facebook page open and update it with any information I feel is of interest to the island’s animal-loving community.

I was not born on Ios, but I first came to the island in 1973 and fell in love with the place. Now I am the lucky owner of 2 houses on Ios – I count myself a Niotissa. Perhaps I love the island more than many locally born there, as it was my CHOICE to make it my home. I also count myself a Londoner, an Athenian and a citizen of the world.

Although people have been made aware on Ios that it is dangerous for the seal for humans or other animals to approach it or touch it, they seem to ignore any warnings and insist on endangering the seal’s health. These are some comments by a local as to why it’s not necessary to take heed of these warnings:

… but! i have a theory: according  το  observe the natural low of ALL  ANIMAL EMOTIONS , we can see through years that  all kind of animals are  developing more sensibilitιies long time now .If Theodosis is going out to meet people of Ios island ,means- maybe that his emotional intelligense is more progreesive than mines and yours. . Maybe he feels gratitude of all people and fishermans kindness to feed him and he feels more than you and mee through vibes because animals feel like that  .See the new way that animals have opinion, and if he will not like the presense of the houman being , to go back in sea.I RESPECT  THEODOSIS  THESIS and obser

…

people of Greece in islands growned up close to Theodosis seals every day  I know this is a different culture  that  maybe you cant understand because you are not greek citizen  .Its time for reconsiderations in this planet . Greek people gave free everything in knowlege respecting the time of other comunities to accept through feelings of love and patient till  others see the obvious i will do the same because im from Hellas

…

but i stil believe and respect and insist   in animals  Free Will to do things following their primitive emotions  and vibes . theories  like these<< animals are wild>> make me to understand that professors dont want to see animals progress so to patronize their old investigations

WHAT A LOAD OF CODSWALLOP!

Could this be the reason there are only roughly 600 of these seals left in the world?

I understand people want to take photos of this animal, but most smart phones and cameras have zoom functions – why not stand well back and use this feature? Ah, you want a picture of yourself with the seal? Surely you’ve learnt how to take a selfie by now? But even if you haven’t, a friend could take a photo of you & then you could combine the photos by editing. Oh, you don’t know how to edit? Nobody is born with knowledge, you learn as you go through life, so ask Dr Google how to combine pics and LEARN! That way you won’t be endangering the seal’s life. It’s so cute you want to touch it anyway? Well how selfish and thoughtless of you. Shame on you: if the seal dies, it will be too late and you will be to blame …..

 

Vet visit to Ios next week

Please spread the word to friends who have animals

George Marangos, the vet from Syros will be visiting Ios next week. Please phone him directly for appointments for your animals
(Lambi)

Looking for a last minute Xmas present?

Dissolution of IAWS

Ios Animal Welfare Society – IAWS

It is with sadness that we are letting you know that we are dissolving the company to concentrate on serious family health issues.
However I have good news: Kate & Jason are going to form an animal welfare organisation for Ios. Many of you know them from the Meltemi Dive Centre/Meltemi Watersports.
I have informed the Mayor of our decision & he says he looks forward to working together with Kate & Jason & all animal-lovers of Ios to improve the lot of the strays & other animals on the island.
Let’s all wish this dynamic duo the best of luck in their endeavours.
(Lambi)

Cancellation of vet visit for November

Due to health reasons, the visit of George Marangos, the vet from Syros, will have to be cancelled until further notice. We thank you for your understanding and are sorry for any inconvenience.

 

 

Καλημέρα.

 

Δυστυχώς, η επίσκεψη του κτηνίατρου Μαραγκού Γεώργιου στην Ίο θα ακυρωθεί  λόγω προβλήματος υγείας και δεν θα πραγματοποιηθεί καθόλου για τον μήνα Νοέμβρη.

 

Λυπούμαστε για την αναστάτωση.

 

Ευχαριστώ.

 

Goodmorning.

 

Unfortunetaly, the vet Mr Maragkos will have to cancel all appointments to Ios due to health reasons and will not be able to make any visits for November.

 

We are sorry for the inconvenience.

 

Thank you.

VET VISIT TO IOS

George Marangos (the vet from Syros) will be visiting Ios on

Tuesday, 4th November

He will be based at Pet Planet

Please call 22810-79439 if you need appointments for your animals

Thank you

 

Θα θέλαμε να σας ενημερώσουμε πως ο κτηνίατρος Μαραγκός Γιώργος θα βρίσκεται στην Ίο την Τρίτη 04/11/2014.

 

Για ραντεβού καλέστε στο 22810-79439

 

Ευχαριστώ.

 

 

 

IAWS update 14/10/2014

Dear friends of IAWS,
Some of you have queried why I have not kept this page updated & asked what IAWS is doing this year. Let me explain & apologise. Unfortunately due to serious family health issues, we have been mainly based in Athens this year. Most of our activities have been focused on health matters.
I will continue to keep you informed about vet visits and also remind you that the society’s aim was to provide a legal basis from which OTHERS could operate on the island – a bridge between the legal authorities & animal lovers. But this only works if both sides play ball.
I will quote Benedikte Bjerre on what people on the island have done. There is definitely an improvement in the attitude towards animals amongst some of the locals and the visitors to the island.

“I am really glad to have noticed a change in peoples lethargic behaviour this year.. I would normally have said that the tourists don´t care that much either about the miserable conditions in which many animals live here, but this year I will say its changing, and people react .. I cannot count now how many calls and mails I have had regarding dogs chained up, or dogs sick and skinny, tourists foreign and greek alike are horrified to see so many dogs chained up everywhere on Ios in short chains, without shade, food or water, and they call me, and they go to the police and to the Mayor and leave official complaints… Its very positive that people are starting to speak up, rather than take the normal attitude of, what can I do, I am only me.. So really WELL DONE to all the people that do speak up now, and actually do something to help the animals, the more that do, the quicker things will change ..”

“An example how team work works in practice
Yet another example of how teamwork can make a difference.. A tourist who comes a lot on Ios, called me, she found a box with 8 puppies, one with a broken leg on Ios, they were all in poor condition, and she called me to ask for help.. I am in Athens, so I called Flora, who agreed to help the woman, who then called the vet on Santorini, who said she would take them if someone brought them over..I called Christina from SAWA who agreed to pick them up at the port in Santorini, and the local travel agency on Ios helped the woman to get them on the boat, without a passenger from Ios to Santorini ..so all these people came together to help these 8 unwanted puppies, you are all great, and I am proud to know people who are no afraid to get up and help when its needed”

There was a dog that was kept chained up permanently and people reported this.

“So far our constant pressure and notification of the owner finally bore fruit, and this dog will move to a new home, without a chain.. We chose deliberately this time, since it is not the first time this family has had a dog chained here, to not remove the dog, but to let it be, but at the same time, continue to press the family through police, to understand it was not okay, so it was their choice to give up on having the dog, and thus did not get more. .. And finally managed it, and I just got the call I have been waiting for, they have said yes to surrender her:) KH, Benedikte (Translated by Bing)”

However, although I have received promises by the Municipality for help, as of yet I’ve seen no action. In August I sent them the following email:

‘We are back in Athens now and you asked me to remind you to put aside some money from the Municipality budget for the stray animals on Ios.

What do we need the money for?

1 To feed the strays in winter. Up to now a Danish charity, Graeskehunde, has provided for bags of food every month to be given to a few animal-lovers, who go around feeding the strays in winter. The charity can no longer do this.

2 For worm tablets, flea powder, poison antidotes and other medicines for the strays.

3 To trap, neuter and release strays. This has been proved by various animal welfare groups to be the best way of dealing with the overpopulation of strays. There are vets who come to the island to do this, in particular Margarita Valvi from Santorini, however she is NOT a volunteer vet (we have none of those) and she needs to be paid.

4 To equip the trailer that Vassiliki Petridou so kindly offered to the Ios Animal Welfare Society with a table, lights etc so that the vets can operate from this space’

So far we have not received any response.

I will finish up with this request:
Please report any animal abuse to the public authorities – it IS worth it.
The Chief of Police on Ios is an animal lover and has a dog of his own that he loves dearly. If you report abuse to him, he will do something about it. Last year he asked the Municipality to put up signs about the illegality of poisoning and the danger to humans as well as animals – this was done.

Remember, if you see abuse to animals and do nothing about it, it’s nearly as bad as being an abuser. It’s up to EVERYBODY to do what they can to improve the conditions of animals on this island. Please don’t shrug your shoulders & ask, “What can we do?” Take matters into your own hands and REPORT abuse to the Chief of Police.
(Lambi)

Thank you for your generosity, Vasso

I would like to say a very big thank you to Vasso Michalopoulou, who has very generously offered this trailer to IAWS (Ios Animal Welfare Society) as a place where visiting vets can treat animals in sterile conditions – it can be connected up to running water & electricity & is parked on Vasso’s land. We are truly grateful to her for so kindly providing a solution to a long time problem. Thank you so much Vasso on behalf of all animal lovers on Ios. (Lambi)

Eva Karanasiou very kindly translated this into Greek:

ΕΥΧΑΡΙΣΤΙΕΣ της ΖΩΟΦΙΛΙΚΗΣ ΕΤΑΙΡΙΑΣ ΙΟΥ για προσφορά της Βάσως Μιχαλοπούλου
Η Ζωοφιλική Εταιρία Ίου ευχαριστεί θερμά εκ μέρους των ζωόφιλων της Ίου την κυρία Βάσω Μιχαλοπούλου η οποία παραχωρεί ένα τροχόσπιτο (σε δικό της χώρο, με νερό και ρεύμα) όπου θα μπορούν οι κτηνίατροι που επισκέπτονται το νησί μας να εξετάζουν, να περιθάλπουν και να στειρώνουν τα σκυλάκια και τα γατάκια. Η προσφορά αυτή λύνει το πρόβλημα που υπήρχε.

 

FUTURE VET VISITS TO IOS

6977003996

Margarita Valvi, the vet from Santorini, plans to visit Ios on the following dates:

Saturday May 31st until Sunday June 1st

and

Saturday June 28th until June 29th

Please phone her directly on the number above to arrange appointments for your animals

(Lambi)

Questions for the local candidates on Animal Welfare on Ios

There are local elections on Ios this weekend. I am handing these questions to both competing Parties tonight. I will be interested in their replies. (Lambi)

 

 

ANIMAL WELFARE ON IOS

Ios Animal Welfare Society

 

 

1 The Municipality should take some responsibility for the problem of stray animals on the island. They are obliged to do this by law.

 

2 Through various projects and studies by animal welfare groups world-wide, it has been shown that the best way of dealing with the increasing stray population is by: catching, neutering/spaying, returning to habitat.

 

3 Visiting vets come to the island now, but there is no fixed place from where they can operate. A room with running water & electricity is needed.

 

4 Money should be put aside from the budget to finance the following:

a neutering/spaying programme

food for the strays – especially in winter. At present a Danish charity run by Benedikte Bjerre, “Graeskehunde”, is donating food for strays in winter

medication, worming pills, flea sprays, antibiotics etc

 

5 Something must be done about preventing the poisoning of animals on the island. Not only is this illegal, it is an inhumane practice and the animals die in agony.

The poisons put down last year were highly toxic and are extremely dangerous for humans – especially toddlers & little children playing on the ground, who put everything in their mouths, and could be poisoned and die.

 

DO WE WANT TO WAIT TILL THIS HAPPENS, OR DO SOMETHING “PROLYPTICA”???

 

On another note, these illegal poisonings might stop people from coming to Ios.

Tourists are horrified when they learn about the poisonings – this news is spread by social media & the internet extremely quickly. People might be dissuaded from coming to Ios because of the poisonings.

 

 

WHAT IS YOUR PROGRAMME FOR STRAY ANIMALS?

 

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES?

 

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO HELP?

 

 

ANIMALS HAVE NO VOICE, WE NEED TO SPEAK FOR THEM