News & Events
Donald and Ntaizi
Siblings
These two adorable black kittens are Donald and Ntaizi, who are brother and sister. As you can see, they have a very close relationship and love to be together. They were found on the road as kittens and arrived at the shelter mid-September 2012. Now, they are healthy 7-month-olds looking for a new home. They are a number of other cats are available for adoption.
Manos
Manos was brought in on January 21st. He is approximately 6 months old and has white shadows under his eyes. He is being treated with Neomycin drops and dewormed. Initially he was being treated in the habitat where he was found but doing this proved too difficult and he has been brought to the clinic for treatment.
Scoombi was found on the road and brought in. He is blind and was dehydrated when he was found. He has been treated with the antibiotic Baytril and physiological serum. At present he is being kept at the clinic.
Well this is what happened: this young fellow from one of the car rental places in Katapola, the one at the edge of the village, as you face the open sea, saw me wandering about without anything to eat and took me to his office. Then he went out and bought some can food. I thought I was in heaven. I had not seen so much food in months, actually weeks (I am a very young cat) and ate it all up if there was no tomorrow. After a while, though, I began to feel the effect of my binge.
I won't tell you the kind of pain and the scare it gave. I think it's worse than a tooth ache, though I haven't had any so far, and I should not be making comparisons. Clearly it was the wrong kind of food, except that my savior had no clue. He thought cat food was cat food and that was it. It goes to show that educational programs (and the right kind of food) are urgently needed. But I was lucky, in the end. The Vet came by and gave me a shot that put an end to my misery.
And I heard that AZI is raising funds to buy the kind of food it takes to feed me and the other kittens who might run the risk of being done in by the very people who intend to save us.
The original idea was to name me after the one armed basketball player who joined the Harlem Globetrotters in 1945 and never scored less than 18 points per game… with one arm! His name was actually Boid Buie, but there was a mix up at the office, and I ended up as Tatum, the greatest globetrotter of them all (though he had two arms). Well, behind this story is the fact that I am three legged kitten.
When I was barely able to walk, a motorist ran me over (and didn’t bother to stop, of course). Those who picked me up thought I was going to die, but then Doctor Despoti said let’s give it a shot and she amputated my leg. I survived and I now live in Holland. You never know what can happen to a strong willed cat:
Juliette, a Dutch member of AZI and Philozoike spoke about me to a very nice lady who drives an animal ambulance in Amsterdam (a great place, believe me) and she adopted me. She came to pick me up at the airport, and held me and hugged me. Quite a change, I tell you from the misery of my very first days on earth. Sometimes, of course, I feel a bit nostalgic for my island, hey, but when it comes to food and care, I tell you, there is no comparison. I love it here, and I am going to grow up as dexterous and nimble as both Boid Buie and Tatum put together.
It has been a transformative year in Amorgos. Oursponsorship of a local veterinarian has changed the life of many animals and of many people who depend on them. This generated much support and interest on the part of the community. New attention has been given to the animal health and well-being. We sponsored Dr. Despoti’s internship in one of the most prestigious no-kill animal shelters in the the US, PAWS Chicago. Since her return in March, Dr. Despotihastreated various animals in need and sterilized and released over 30 stray cats. It seems a small step but it makes a huge difference. And through these little steps we are transforming a way of being.
We thank all of you for your help and we count on your contributions to continue. Without your help we would not be able to make all of these small steps come together to transform the fate of so many neglected animals on the island.
Recently we were contacted by a tourist in Amorgos who noticed that cats were being fed in a dangerous road-side position. We greatly appreciate being informed of any maltreatment of animals witnessed on the island. We count on your continuous support. A small action can make a huge difference in the life of many animals and the environment in which they live.
Fall 2010 - One of the founding fathers of Philozoic Merimna Association of Amorgos (PMAA), Manolis has been feeding approximately 50 cats every day for a number of years. Some across the street from his house, some at Nonda's orchards about 2 miles away and some behind the Saint Georgios Balsamitis Hotel in Xilokeratidi. When Manolis goes home from work many cats show up from no where to greet him.
Gris
Fall 2010 - Widespread throughout the island, eye infections have caused the loss of one, sometimes both eyes in many cats. The problem could be partially solved by treating new born kittens and vaccinating them as soon as possible. Unfortunately there are far to many cats in the island, often leaving in locations that are hard to be reached. Furthermore, many people don't know how to handle these cases. We are studying ways to prevent the sperading of infectious deaseases and their transmission from parents to offspring. Also, we are educating cat owners about it.
Bios when he first arrived
Bios and his mother
August-September 2010 - During the month of August Bios' mother brought him to the garden of Animal Society co-founder Manolis and left him there. Bios needed immediate attention: swollen belly, infected eyes, parasites, etc. His mother comes back daily to check on him and play with him. One eye was saved and his general welfare is improved immensely.
September 2010 - This is the story of Johnny Depp. In 2009 when he was a few days old, Johnny Depp was found in a garbage bin by Vangelizza, one of the founder of Philozoic Merimna Association of Amorgos (PMAA) and a driving force behind the movement and its organization. Named after Vangelizza greatest love, he responded with great enthusiasm to the requirements of his role. He is now a happy member of the Azi family.
Bianca's Daughter enjoying the garden.
August 2010 - Sophocles reputation is well known among cats as well. Bianca's mother brought her daughter to Sophocles's garden about a year ago and left her there to be properly cared for. She is now part of the AZI program.
Pocopico wasfound outside Chora's town hall. He was brought to Sophocles Prekas, one of the founding members of the local animal association, whose reputation for caring is known throughtout the island. Now cleaned, vaccinated and properly nourished, Pocopico is now beginning to enjoy his life and the company of his friends.
Kokino
July 2010 — This is an update of two stray cats, Kokino and Cyclopina, who live in the area of Lefkes. In June 2010, Kokino had a very serious infection on his head and shoulder. It was so bad that the vet Dr. Vassalakis had to remove part of the skin from his head and shoulders.
At the same time, while he was operating on Kokino’s infection, Dr. Vassalakis took the opportunity to neuter him, in hopes that this will help prevent him from getting into cat fights in the future. A local volunteer kept Kokino indoors while he recovered, as the wound had to be completely closed before he could return to his life outdoors. Cyclopina was so named because of a deep crater on her forehead, which looks like a third eye. Over the years the crater becomes infected, produces a lot of pus, then closes again, only for the cycle to begin again. We have tried many antibiotic creams and pills but so far we have not had any luck in treating her. The problem of course is that Cyclopina is not an ideal patient, as she disappears at times for a few days in a row. The infection has now spread to the eyelids, which is a cause for deep concern.
Anna and her family visit Amorgos every summer to take a break from their busy lives in the city of Athens. Anna’s mom also believes spending time in Amorgos is a wonderful chance for the children to experience life closer to nature. But in the past, the cats of Amorgos looked so sickly that Anna’s mother would not let her children near them for fear of disease. Now, after three years of AZI’s work in Amorgos, the cats are noticeably healthier. And with that knowledge, Anna’s mom is happy to let little Anna play, feed, touch and hug the cats near their summer home. Anna is pleased to have the opportunity to play with her furry four-legged friends!
Last year, when she was only 1 1/2 years old, Anna shared her bowl of spaghetti with a couple of cats from AZI’s program. This summer, see how much Anna has grown and the cats are happier and healthier too!
Poisoning is a traditional method adopted by some of the islanders to curb the animal population. During two weeks in June 2009 in a specific area of Xilokeratidi, in the immediate vicinity of a restaurant bearing the name of its owner, a large number of cats were poisoned. Dr. Dimitri Vassalakis, a Naxos-based veterinarian who is part of AZI’s Scientific Committee, investigated the deaths and discovered that a fertilizer was used as poison, which causes a slow and painful death. More than 25 cats died, the majority of them part of AZI’s program. Most of these cats had been treated, sterilized, vaccinated and fed through AZI’s support.
In the past, such an event would be tolerated by the local population. This year it caused uproar. Letters of reprimand were sent to the suspected poisoner (the owner of the restaurant in whose backyard the poison was found and photographed) and the police was alerted. An indictment against an “unknown” was deposited with the Mayor’s office who proceeded to print a flyer which was posted all over the area. What was remarkable is that the Mayor for the first time acknowledged—without naming AZI—the existence of an authorized program of curbing and treating stray animals.
Two more cases of poisoning had occured in the Spring: in Katapola, near the port, approximately 15 cats were poisoned. In Raxidi a small group of cats was eliminated during the month of May.
On August 22, representatives of AZI decided to speak with the owner, who declared himself extraneous to the event. It was explained to him that the association of his name with the nefarious event was not only immoral and useless but could reflect negatively upon his business, in so far as tourists would be discouraged from patronizing a restaurant where poison is handled.. A visible change in tone occurred at this point: the restaurant owner went as far as pledging help towards the future development of AZI. It was made clear to him that for any “cat problem” he may have in the future, he should request the intervention of our vet, Dr. Vassalakis.
It is hoped that this strategy of enlisting former enemies in the workings of a local association for the protection of animals and the environment will yield better results than hostile confrontation.
Dr. Vassalakis visited Amorgos three times from Fall 2008 through Spring 2009. During each visit he vaccinated a vast number of stray cats and neutered a good number of them. A little ‘V’ mark on a cat’s ear signifies that they have received treatment. Compared to previous years and other areas of the island, Dr. Vassalakis’ intervention in the three aforementioned villages has radically improved the situation in those areas.
