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Bonnie & Clyde

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Bonnie and Clyde are now one-and-a-half months old and they just had their first adventure outside. They now can eat by themselves in spite of still asking for a baby bottle whenever they see their “mama” Litsa.

These two sweethearts are active and playful — sweet kittens who will soon be ready for adoption. We know they will bring joy to their forever home so send in your application now!!

See the original post here: https://www.animal-zone.org/news/2020/7/22/bonnie-and-clyde-two-orphaned-kittens

Our work on Amorgos is dependent on your donations. Please help us help these innocent creatures and make a contribution today! We and the kittens of Amorgos would be ever so grateful. https://tinyurl.com/Donate-AZI

Bonnie and Clyde at one-and-a-half-months old

Bonnie and Clyde’s first time outside

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Four Kittens

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In June, a young girl from Arkesini called our program coordinator, Litsa, and asked for help with four newborn kittens that she had discovered alone in a field. Litsa gave her advice on how to care for them until they could be brought to our Center the next day.

These tiny kittens were only about three weeks old, not yet able to feed themselves, so we began an intensive care program, feeding them every two and a half hours with a baby bottle.  It seemed better for Litsa to care for them at home because of the intensive and time consuming program.

Because Litsa was already caring for two other newborns she asked ten-year-old Melina to come and help with their care.  Melina decided to take all four kittens home with her until they could begin to eat soft food by themselves. After that, Fanis, Croket, Ermina and Nala came back into Litsa’s care where they will remain until we can find loving homes for them.  

Our work on Amorgos is dependent of your donations. Please help us help these innocent creatures and make a contribution today! https://tinyurl.com/Donate-AZI

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Aris

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When Aris was only one month old he was rescued by two kind Italian tourists who brought him to our Center. Aris has grown up with us and he is a calm and tender fellow who is also curious and playful. A kitten this sweet needs a warm and loving home.

A wonderful couple in Holland adopted Aris long distance and now, after a delay of seven months, they came from Holland to bring Aris back home.  He will have a loving family and a sweet friend in the six-year-old child that he will play with.

We want, once again, to thank Mirtos Animal Project and their team for all their efforts in helping us find a home for Aris. As well, we want to thank Maura and Cesare, the kind Italian couple who saved his life by bringing him to our Center, and, we give our great thanks to Ruben and Lennie who have opened their home to him. 

We wish Aris a long and happy life in Holland!

Our work on Amorgos is dependent of your donations. Please help us help these innocent creatures and make a contribution today! https://tinyurl.com/Donate-AZI

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Georgia

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Georgia, the lone survivor of a small feral litter, has no eyesight but she is the sweetest, most joyously playful of all the kittens who have come to stay with us at our Center. Georgia is a confident kitten in spite of her blindness and she loves to be with people and receive their hugs and caresses. 

Because of Covid-19 it has been difficult to send Georgia to her new home in Holland but the family has been patient and now, after almost seven months, Georgia is a Dutch citizen and is enjoying the love of her new family. 

We want to thank the Mirtos Animal Project and their amazing team for their help in finding a new home for Georgia. Ruben and Lennie were kind enough to escort her to her new home in Holland, and our great great thanks go to Marein and her family who have opened their arms to this beautiful and sweet girl. 

We wish Georgia a long and happy new life in Holland.

Our work on Amorgos depends on your donations. Please help us help these innocent creatures and make a contribution today! https://tinyurl.com/Donate-AZI

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Feevos

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Feevos, a pup that had been locked in a darkened warehouse for over a year, was finally given the legal right, by order of the Prosecutor of the Court of First Instance of Naxos, to be rescued by Animal Zone International.

See his original story here: https://www.animal-zone.org/news/2020/4/24/the-rescue-of-two-dogs

After nearly six months with us at our Center, Feevos has finally found his forever home in Holland. He will be given the love that he was denied in his first year and this sweet young dog will be able to give back the love that so clearly fills his special heart.

We want to thank Mirtos Animal Project and their team for all their help in finding a home for Feevos. Ruben and Lennie escorted Feevos to Karin and his new family who so lovingly opened their hearts to this handsome boy. We wish a long and happy and wonderful new life to our dear Feevos!!

Our work on Amorgos is dependent on donations so we ask for your help in saving these innocent creatures. Please make a contribution today! https://tinyurl.com/Donate-AZI

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Bonnie and Clyde, Two Orphaned Kittens

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About a week ago, a group of children came to our Center to tell our program director, Litsa, about three newborn kittens whose mother had been killed by a car and were alone and starving.

When Litsa found them, sadly one had already died and the other two were motionless, dehydrated, with sores on their soft paws from trying to walk on the hard asphalt, but thankfully, still alive.

She brought the two survivors to our Center where they received nourishing treatments and constant attention. Now, these two little sweethearts have opened their eyes and are becoming friends with our rescue dog Casper, looking up to him as if he is the mother that they lost.

We have high hopes for long and happy lives for these two innocent kittens!

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A Vet Visit

After the long months of lockdown during the Covid-19 pandemic, Dr. Andrianna Alexandropoulou was at last able to come to our Center.

In June, Dr. Alexandropoulou performed many vaccinations on the dogs and cats of our island community, microchips were implanted, health checks were carried out and a number of stray cats with health problems were examined and placed into our care for treatment.

She also managed to neuter four male dogs that are living with us at the Center. We are grateful, as always, for her tremendous work with the animals of our island and we thank her for her generosity and expertise.

Best wishes until our next meeting, Dr. Alexandropoulou!

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Two Blind Kittens

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In May, we received a report of two small kittens with serious eye infections. The kittens were still with their feral mother in Kastelopetra, next to the main road to Katapola-Chora. When our program coordinator arrived, she found a mother cat with four kittens, two of which were healthy and who scampered away when the coordinator approached.

Sadly, the two other kittens did indeed have severe eye infections and were obviously unable to see. We brought them to our Center where we immediately began treatment with antibiotics and eye drops. We were hoping to save their sight but unfortunately, it was too late.

So now we are looking for a forever home for these two-month-old blind babies. Orfeas is a beautiful red boy and Evridiki is a three-colored girl. They are sweet and playful despite their handicap and they would thrive in a loving home.

Please consider adopting them if you are able, or if not, won’t you help us care and feed them in the meantime, by making a donation on our donation page? Orfeas and Evrdiki deserve a happy and safe life!

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Casper

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A few weeks ago, a man from Arkesini saw a small dog in a very bad state wandering the area of Kolofana, but, when he and his grandsons had tried to approach it, the dog slipped away.

In order to find and help this small frightened ghost, we staked out a post and waited for the dog to appear. But after eight hours with no sign of the dog, we abandoned our post and returned to the Center.

A week later we heard from Mr. G again. He said he had seen the dog once more and the poor thing appeared to be in worse condition. We set off for Kolofana with food and water and had a lucky break—someone had seen the dog resting in an olive grove.

We set out immediately for the olive grove but the dog remained out of reach, retreating into the bushes as we tried to approach. Clearly the dog was afraid of humans so we had the idea that perhaps the presence of another, friendly, dog might help. Giorgios agreed to come with his lovely dog Lioumpa and Lioumpa had a calming effect on our frightened quarry.

We were able finally to capture this tiny boy and bring him to our Center where we could feed and clean him and treat the many infections and the malnutrition that came from what must have been at least a month of being on his own.

We call this tiny fellow Casper and he will stay with us at the Center while he recuperates and returns to health. He is learning many new skills that will be necessary once he finds a loving home. He is a fast learner, a sweet, gentle, and playful young fellow.

Once again we appeal to all the owners of female dogs and cats to act responsibly and have them spayed and neutered. It is the most humane thing that you can do in order to avoid the unnecessary suffering of their unwanted litters.

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Update on Arangon

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Do you remember our big, super sweet, and kind dog Arangon? Arangon was adopted two years ago by an amazing family in Holland.

Arangon and four of his siblings were found, abandoned as 2-month-old puppies, and sadly spent the next 2 1/2 years waiting for their forever home.

Just as we were despairing that we would never find a home for them we received notice from a Dutch animal organization (with whom we often work with) regarding interest in two of these dogs. And we were so thrilled when the interest eventually led to adoption. 

In March 2018, Arangon and his brother Bobbie traveled from Amorgos, where their lives had no future, to Holland, to start their lives as a part of a family, inside a real home.

Helen and Peter, the new parents of Arangon, recently sent a lovely note to us with this update: "Arangon is indeed the best most lovable and kind dog on earth. We are so happy to have him with us in Holland! Your description was very accurate—he is all you wrote. Hope you are well, and here are some photos."

And we say, “Thank you for giving Arangon a wonderful life!”

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The Rescue of Two Dogs

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Two young dogs, each living in his own misery of appalling neglect and horrific conditions, were recently rescued by AZI. We are happy to report that they are now both safe and well. Once they become accustomed to their new lives, we will be putting our effort towards finding them the caring homes which they greatly deserve. Here are the stories of Canellos and Feevos.

Canellos

For over a year, Canellos was tied up on a short chain inside a small, unsanitary, fenced-in area with only a couple of rusty barrels for shelter. On the twelfth of February, by order of the Prosecutor of the Court of First Instance of Naxos, Animal Zone International was given the legal right to remove Canellos from these dire circumstances.

Canellos had received no affection from an owner who had condemned him to a life of isolation and misery, but, he is a young dog, only sixteen months old, and in spite of the fact that he was frightened of our touch when we first rescued him, he is learning to accept caresses from loving humans and to play and run as he gains strength and trust.

Canellos has his whole life ahead of him and we are eager to find this sweet pup a loving home.

Feevos

Feevos was kept in a dark warehouse filled with litter and reeking of filth for over a year. As with Canellos, by order of the Prosecutor of the court of First Instance of Naxos, this imprisoned young dog was given the legal right to be rescued by Animal Zone International.

We brought him to our Center, fed him and washed from him a year’s worth of dirt, and then took him for his first walk in the beautiful springtime of Amorgos. Feevos was beyond joy, running back and forth between the flowers and trees and plants, filled with wonder at the sight of the sea and the other animals that he met on that first walk. We know this young dog will have a long and healthy life filled with affection and safety.

Our hearts are filled with gratitude to the Prosecutor of the Court of First Instance of Naxos. Her professionalism and dedication is helping to give grace to the lives of members of our animal kingdom.

To see videos of how far they have come, visit our YouTube playlist by clicking here.

How can you help Canellos and Feevos, you ask? If you are able to welcome them into your family, please contact us to inquire about adoption. But we know that is not always possible, so a donation, large or small, will help us shower these two dogs with food and care, changing the trajectory of their lives from sadness to happiness. Donations will also help to cover adoption expenses which often include travel costs once we are able to find loving homes for them. If a donation is not possible, a wish for their health and well being is enough. Keep an eye out—an update with more information will be posted soon.

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Ivan

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Ivan lived alone for what must be about ten years of a very difficult life. His job was to keep his owner’s sheep from crossing the road. Indeed, Ivan was forced to be a kind of living fence.

Uncared for and underfed in order to keep him agitated and barking, Ivan’s lonely life was controlled by a man who had many times been accused of animal abuse.

For years, we at Animal Zone International did our best to rescue the animals who were kept in these miserable conditions but we were never able to successfully and legally remove them.

That is, until, finally, a responsible prosecutor who honors her role and her position in the community gave us the right to begin the rescue process.

In December 2019, Ivan was legally, but temporarily, delivered to the care of AZI by order of the prosecutor of the Naxos Court of First Instance. Eventually, the prosecutor was able to link old allegations of animal abuse to Ivan’s owner and issued a new order which allowed Ivan to be permanently in the care of AZI.

His owner may never again legally own another pet and we see this as a justification for the long struggle to save the many abused dogs who suffered and died in his care.

And now, for our dear Ivan, we hope that he will find a loving home to make up for those long unhappy years.

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Introducing Frideriki

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A few days ago, we welcomed a new donkey to our shelter. Her name is Frideriki and she is 30 years old. Her owner left Amorgos permanently due to health problems and unfortunately he won't be coming back. So Frideriki needed a new home. The only solution for her was to come to our shelter since, due to her advanced age, she can no longer work.

Welcome to our shelter sweet Frideriki!

A Visit from the Veterinarian

We have now completed the winter sterilization program in Amorgos and we want to thank Dr. Andrianna Alexandropoulou for coming to our center to conduct the spaying and neutering of so many of our island strays.

Additionally, Dr. Alexandropoulou performed annual vaccinations on many of the dogs and cats owned by members of our island community. Microchips were implanted, a beautiful rabbit came for a checkup and a number of stray cats with health problems were examined and will now remain in our Center for treatment.

We were fortunate to finally capture a feral cat from Chora who had been suffering for over a year with a rope that he had managed to wrap around his throat. The veterinarian removed the rope, cleaned the wound, gave the cat antibiotics, spayed him and now he is back in his home area with a new lease on life.

Thank you Dr. Andrianna!!!!

Winter Program

Our winter spay/neuter program took place over a three day period in February, and, with the help and dedication of Dr. Adriana Alexandropoulou, we managed to sterilize sixty-seven stray cats.

Thirty-one males and thirty-six females came to us from the areas of Katapola, Chora, Vroutsi, Arkesini (Kato Meria) and Aegiali. All of the cats are in good health and after a recovery period they have been released back into their native areas. One female kitten from Katapola is still with us at our Center due to a few problems that we wanted to clear up before she will be released back into her home area.

We want to thank our amazing vet, Dr. Adriana Alexandropoulou, who worked from morning to night with dedication and goodwill. We thank also the Municipality of Amorgos who covered the expenses for medical supplies and offered a van and driver, Konstantinos Grispos, to transport cats from the Aegiali area to and from our Center.

We also want to thank our amazing volunteers who worked hard in order to help collect and transport the cats as well as to assist at the clinic during the surgeries. We thank as well the awesome Dr. Manos Vorisis and his team “Aegean cats, we live together” for sending extra surgical tools.

We are grateful to all of those who helped us—without you we could never have accomplished this important work. And, good news! We have renewed our appointment for November.

THISEAS

Thiseas came to our shelter on a cold day in December of 2013. A kind supporter of AZI found Thiseas on the nearby island of Koufonisi, an old donkey in poor condition whose owner no longer wanted him. Since then, Thiseas has lived a happy and relaxed life in our shelter. He has been an active and playful little man, over forty years of age, but in this last year he has lost his appetite for food and life. Thiseas has died but we are comforted in the knowledge that his last years, after all of those years of hard work, were filled with safety and affection from all of us at the Center and from all of those children and visitors who were happy to give him a caress.

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Achilleas found his forever home

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Achilleas, our beloved equine, traveled from Amorgos to Athens on the 17th of December. The next day he went from Athens to Thessaloniki and specifically to the equestrian Center of Macedonia. Giannis Brastianos, our farrier and his family, have offered Achilleas the safety and warmth of a loving home. 

Besides Giannis and his family, who have always supported our organization, we want also to thank Beatrice Rock who first rescued Achilleas and was taking care of him during the months that she was in Amorgos, and, who supported us financially in order to be able to take care him once she returned home. We want to thank also Lea Voegeli for her help in Achilleas transportation since her help and advice are always precious for us here on the island.

Let us say a few words about how and why Achilleas ended up in the shelter of Animal Zone International. Animals are not toys to be enjoyed and discarded once we become bored with them. We want to beg anyone who is thinking of taking a large animal as a pet to seriously think about the care that must be taken for a lifetime, and, for a horse that can be up to 35 years. Achilleas was rescued from a sad and unhappy environment by a wonderful Italian woman who spends a few months on our island and who, when it was time for her to return home, helped fund the care for Achilleas in our center. The cost is great, both in money and in time, and, we hope that everyone will approach the care for their animals, whether large or small, with care and love.

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Autumn 2019 sterilization program

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Our autumn sterilization program took place in November and was a great success. We had hoped to sterilize 100 stray cats but, with the help and dedication of Dr. Andriana Alexandropoulou, we surpassed that goal and sent 121 boys and girls back into the world to live healthy lives without adding to the homeless feline population of our island. 

These cats had come to us from the villages of Amorgos, the areas of Katapola, Kastelopetra, Chora, Skeparnies (Kato Meria) and Aegiali.

All of the cats are in good health and after a recovery period they have all been released back into their native areas. Two kittens, one male and one female, are still with us at our Center due to a few problems that we wanted to clear up before they will be released back into their home areas. 

We want to thank our amazing vet, Dr. Adriana Alexandropoulou, who worked from morning to night with dedication and good spirit and who left us as well with advice for all the sick and wounded cats that we will continue to receive at our center.

 A big vote of thanks goes as well to the Municipality of Amorgos who not only covered the expenses for medical supplies and offered a van and a driver, (Konstantinos Grispos), to transport the cats back and forth from the Aegiali area but also for their continued support. We also thank our amazing volunteers who worked hard in order to collect and transport the cats as well as to assist at the clinic during the surgeries. We thank our donors and especially our president, Paola Mieli, who covered the salary and travel for Dr. Alexandropoulou.

 We thank those who help us to continue this most important work.

Without all of you we would not have made it....

 

We have renewed our appointment for February!!!

The miracle of Melenia

Melenia, a tiny kitten of only 500 grams, came to our Center after having been hit by a car. We immediately began a program of intensive care and slowly Melenia began to show improvement.  We fed her by syringe every three hours, kept her warm and filled with antibiotics and dedicated ourselves to keeping this small girl alive.  

The road to recovery was long and difficult but Melenia is a warrior and learned to walk again, in spite of a weakness in one of her legs and in spite of the fact that she has been left without the ability to see. 

This tiny girl is a happy and lively kitten, playful and filled with affection. Her good spirits and happy ways are amazing to see given all of the great trials that she has endured.  

We hope and pray that Melenia will find a loving home in which to live a long and happy life.

 

THE REEL THING - A Benefit for the Animals of Amorgos

Animal Zone International presents

THE REEL THING
Animals, Sounds and Silent Movies

A Benefit for the Animals of Amorgos

Thursday, Dec. 5th
at 6:30 pm

CASA ITALIANA ZERILLI MARIMÒ of NYU
24 W 12th St, New York, NY 10011

SOUNDS & SILENTS

Vintage comedies, classic cartoons, experimental films and contemporary art video
with

LIVE PIANO MUSIC

by 
Jed Distler, Mark Kostabi, Robert Petrick, Steve Sandberg, Rob Schwimmer, and Kathleen Supové

plus

Ayurvedic Food Creations 
by Divya’s Kitchen
and
Wine Selections 
by Grapevine Collective

Join us to support the mission of Animal Zone International, a unique animal care center on the island of Amorgos. Our efforts include vaccinating and managing the cat and dog population on the island, caring for injured and sick animals, rescuing abused equines, as well as school visits on the island.

Tickets: $200 per person ($170 of which is tax-deductible)
For details and tickets, visit www.azi2019.eventbrite.com
Refreshments will be served