LARGE CASTRATION ACTION IN VOLVI (GR)
13 September 2017
During the 16-day campaign in September, the vets have been able to castrate, vaccinate and provide medical care to 362 animals (306 dogs/56 cats). The objective was to limit the large population of road animals and it could only be achieved by humane means such as castration.
The Volvi region wants to tackle the problem properly and progressively, Our contact invited the vets in Action and asked for help in regulating their street animals. Volvi committed to provide the infrastructure if the team did the castrations.
Although Greece has also had the obligation to have dogs chipped and registered since 2012, the law has not yet been implemented.
Volvi is now leading by example as a community and has opened a list for dog owners to take advantage of the vets in action.
Community workers help capture and gather the dogs for castration. In doing so, they learn how to treat the dogs and how to treat them non-violently. Even after the completion of the campaign, the municipality is to continue making monthly castrations via local veterinarians.
A look into the recovery room, where the dogs sleep off the effects of anesthesia completely before being returned to their roaming ground.
A volunteer monitors the dogs while waking up: all animals receive a collar and a brand as an indicator of castration, rabies vaccination and treatment against parasites.
A pet owner brings a very old female dog to the registration. Zoi advises her on the topic of feeding old dogs, as she is very well versed in the evening red project.
This hunting dog was very lucky despite his misfortune: in a car accident he did not suffer any fractures, but only various flesh wounds, which were immediately sewn and cared for by the vets.
Employee Sakis explains to the owners the legal situation and the obligation to register.
Many volunteers feed street dogs and bring them to us for castration. When they are asked if the microchip could be registered on their name, they usually agree, or else, the dogs get a chip from the community.
This woman immediately inquires about what we are doing when we show up and is glad that the dogs are not killed. “It used to be the way this went,” she says regretfully.
