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NEWS
21.April 2021
Reino’s Story
The dog which changed Greek law!
https://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.iliakis/videos/10224466220178653/
Reino’s Story
The Souda Shelter on Greek TV!!!
29.December 2020
FYI11. December 2020
NO MORE ANIMALS TO BE ADMITTED TO THE SOUDA SHELTER PROJECT AS OF TODAY
28.October 2020
email of the mayor of Chania:
[email protected]
23.October 2020
18.October.2020
what a doll!
15. October 2020
The Greek-American Foundation collects now money for the shelter.
3.August 2020
See
Shelter closing threatens soldiers and therapy dogs. We must help them, FAST!
29. July 2020
Elisabeth writes an open letter:
Plain and simple.
I don’t sell animals for a living.
I don’t make a profit off of them either.
I have a legal nonprofit organization. My organization covers philanthropy, animal welfare and cultural issues.
My organization is transparent.
I am a Lady and a respectable citizen of the planet.
I help animals, I help fellow citizens.
I write calling all networks, all reporters, all journalists WORLDWIDE to dig deep and help me discover what is going on here in Greece.
In Greece there is a small group of powerful people spreading lies and propaganda against the Animal Welfare world. They accuse us all of sending animals abroad to brothels, they accuse us of sending animals abroad for vivisection or just plainly they accuse us of sending animals abroad to be sold for profit.
Personally I don’t prefer sending animals abroad for the mere fact that it is too much work and it is too expensive.
I would prefer to find good local homes.
Unfortunately there is no way the population of strays could be absorbed by the general Greek population. Impossible.
So I, along with all of the other rescuers, send animals away to Europe and to any part of the world that will have them and give them the good life they deserve.
The claims of this group that do not want animals leaving the country are based on their ‘fear’ that the animals are being used, neglected and exploited.
They fight tooth and nail, constantly submitting legal claims, informing police with their slander, making the lives of rescuers difficult.
If they are so afraid of the welfare of Greek animals:
1. Why don’t they get off of their asses and rescue an animal?
2. Why do they fight to make a legal EU established tracing method of transported animals illegal in Greece?
You see the European Union has specific paperwork which traces an animal from its country of origin to the country of its destination, to ensure its safety. The TRACES system was specifically established to track the movement of animals from one EU country to another. The vet department of the country of origin informs the vet department of the country of acceptance how many animals are coming, the microchip and health records of each animal, who will except them and what will be done with these animals.
It was initially implemented to track the movement of farm animals from one EU country to another.
In this day and age TRACES are also used for the transport of domesticated animals.
The animals are traced and documented from the minute they leave its origin to the minute they get to its destination.
The Greek government HAS CEASED to issue this paperwork to the Animal Welfare groups. In some areas of Greece, such as Chania, Crete they have stopped since 2013.
Greece is the only EU country which does not issue this paperwork called TRACES.
Why?
Inquiring minds want to know.
The rescuers who have nothing to hide want to be traced.
The countries excepting animals from Greece are demanding this paperwork.
Yet this paperwork IS NOT being issued.
Hmmm…
Share.
Below is an animal who lived on the street in Chania, who was threatened to be poisoned. We took her in, nursed her to tip top shape, vaccinated her, chipped her and when it was time, sent her off to her home in Europe.
Not to a brothel or to a laboratory.
23. July 2020
Elizabeth writes: Yesterday I met with the Vice Mayor of Chania, responsible for the maintenance of the stray animal population. I was called to discuss the closing of the Souda Shelter.
As we all know, from the very beginning of this project, if you read the “About” you see that I do mention that the space of the shelter is illegal. And that I would like to shut it down.
In 2016, when the previous owner renounced the shelter a few days later I had a meeting with the previous mayor of the time. I told him the situation (that there were 253 animals in the shelter) and that I would be more than willing to help but that I needed his support. Not economically, nor provisions wise. I needed his support because of the illegality of the space. I did not want to be chased for it, nor held accountable for it. I wanted to be pardoned so that I can help the animals.
In the same weeks I also visited the vet department introducing myself and requesting help to “empty” the shelter legally.
There was not any support from either authority, they just let me be and looked the other way, shucking any responsibility they have legally to the animals.
Fast forward to today.
Both the municipality and the veterinary department of Chania have been summoned with prosecutorial orders that the illegal space in Souda must close.
Why all of a sudden, four years later?
Anyone following the animal welfare scene in Greece knows about “the bad guys of animal welfare”. I won’t bother to mention them to give them any publicity but these are the folks who stop animal transports, who accuse animal welfare volunteers of selling poor dogs for profits, of exploiting animals for monetary purposes. This group has filed against the municipality and the veterinary department of Chania for allowing an illegal shelter to exist.
And so we find ourselves in this predicament today.
I showed up at the meeting with the vice mayor with my lawyer, of course.
Within the first minutes I was immediately insulted with the question of “so you don’t make money from this?”, “how do you live?” He also said that he cannot understand how someone can work for “free”. Infuriated I stated that I live from my husband’s salary, a high ranking military official, that I am saddened that he cannot fit it in his heart that people can do something that they love for a greater good and then I had the pleasure of insulting him back. I proceeded to ask him how he lived off of the poor salary of vice mayor and that SURELY he must be getting some money under the table…how else could he live? He sternly said he did not, and so I sternly said neither did I and added that I am very sorry that ONLY IN GREECE are animal welfare people associated with stealing money. Very sad.
We continued our conversation where I informed him that I was recognized by various serious establishments and organizations, such as the Naval Support Base of the US military, by KIFAAMEA, by the municipality of Apokoronas and others and that all of my problems would diminish if the municipality of Chania acknowledged us as well. He declined. He declined to acknowledge us yet on the telephone when arranging this meeting in the same breath asked me if I could take in an aggressive animal. Of course I did not.
The hypocrisy is just astounding.
He told me that we have twelve months to pack it up.
And so we will.
This means we must find a new grounds, buy it, build it to legal specifications and move our operations.
WE NEED YOUR HELP:
We need someone who can help create a media/marketing packet for the shelter to present to potential donors. Who we are, what we do, what we’ve done.
Please someone professional who knows how to do this.
We need publicity. Local and national newspapers, TV stations and other media vehicles to promote our story. In any, every country.
We need everyone to share. In the next months we need to raise funding to achieve this. Remember, we are a non profit organization with a non profit tax ID. All money collected will be strictly used.
We need someone who knows about EU grants and national Greek grants, maybe we are entitled to some help from the higher ups.
We need animal welfare organizations and associations to help us with rehoming and provisions.
We need your patience, your love, your understanding, your goodness.
Be a part of our project.
The Souda Shelter Project
June 2020
Puppies keep pouring in…
9. May 2020
The shelter is open again after the Corona lock down! Visitors are welcomed. Now, we are waiting for planes coming (and going) so that our dogs have a chance to be taken to their new homes and make room for new, dogs in need. Please, consider to become a flight partner!
17. April 2020
Hey folks! Join the Beanie Blanket Raffle! DETAILS on FACEBOOK!
It is a great way to help us out, at a very low cost (5 euro) and to take a shot at your luck. We have lots of animals at the shelter at the moment and a plethora of cats who need flight tickets out.Please join our raffle, share, help us!
YOU CAN SUPPORT BY BUYING A TICKET
E. 5 / EACH
(max. 150 available)
PRIZES
3 x Very Classy Beanie Blankets of a beautiful double layered fabric
Payment can be made through preferably
Paypal: [email protected]
Pls mention your name and “raffle for SSP”
Bank details can be given through a PM. Thank you so much for your support!
BEANIE BLANKETS your pet will love them ?
1. March 2020: Corona hit Greece and Europe. No more flights, no more tourists mean that we can’t empty the shelter and rescue new dogs. So, please, DO look at our dogs and cats! These times will be over and it would be great, if we could then start sending our dogs to new homes!
10. February 2020
Miki, our therapy dog, got a chance to get a family of his own AND to continue his therapy dog education. As we weren’t able to find a home for him here on Crete, we decided it would be best for him to let him go. Now he is waiting for a a possibility to travel.
This means, of course, we will look for and educate a new dog.
8. February 2020
Steve and Steven continue to repair the shelter; fences and doors always suffer from tear and wear. Maybe you want to help them?
25. December 2019: Merry Christmas from Boomer and Dion!
24. December 2019: Now the kitties are coming! Have a look at out cat section and tell every cat lover you know!
The cats are not at the shelter but we work with various private cat shelters and fosters.
19. December 2019:
Coming soon…a full kitty section on our website…oh and if I haven’t said it before…KITTENS RULE
12. December 2019: Our work in the local community
K.H.F.A.AMEA is a day care center for children with disabilities. It was one of the first of such centers in Greece, run by parents, offering the children everything from music therapy to arts and crafts and loads of other activities.
The place is warm and the children are happy and the minds are progressive. Together with the president of the center we decided that a therapy dog would be a plus in the children’s routine and so we chose Miki. Through the guidance of Dogtrainer Chaniacrete, we trained him to be a therapy dog.
He visits the children once a week, for the last four months now and they recognize him and are happy to see him.
See the news report below and praise our ladies, Litsa Metaxa and Tatyana Kaminaris for their love and dedication. Be a part of our project!
For more info about our community work see ABOUT US. All this would not be possible without you. Thank you!
