UK NEWS
CLAMOUR GROWS TO SAVE THE DONKEYS
VICTIM: The bare patches on this donkey speak of its plight
Wednesday October 31,2007
By Jo Macfarlane in Santorini
A VET dedicated to helping the donkeys on Santorini in Greece has joined the Daily Express crusade against their cruel treatment.
Dr Margarita Valvis-Roussos, 41, said she has seen donkeys with “horrific” injuries and is determined that the abuse must stop.
Some donkeys are badly beaten by owners who have “little regard for life”. Many animals are lame with deformed hooves after years of carrying heavy loads.
They suffer from severe arthritis and debilitating skin conditions because they are made to work relentlessly, carrying tourists around the island and hauling concrete slabs uphill to continue Santorini’s fast-paced development.
Animals can suffer for years because owners do not take them for treatment until it is already too late.
Margarita, who has run the Santorini Animal Welfare Association for 13 years, said: “Some people haven’t changed their mentality yet and treat donkeys aggressively in front of the tourists. We try to give them lessons in welfare.
“What people need is education not to hit their animals. But to change the opinions of the older generation is difficult. The old people think they know everything and didn’t even have doctors for themselves, let alone their animals, until recently.”
She added: “A tourist was complaining earlier this week that when the donkey slipped its owner just hit it.
“We’re taking care of the donkeys – we are trying. Twice a year we treat them medically, checking their teeth and hooves.”
Most donkeys on the island are between 15 and 20. Very few are older. Many of Margarita’s photographs of abused and neglected donkeys are shocking.
One shows an animal with dermatitis all over its back, caused by years of carrying hefty loads with little in the way of care.
Another is of a donkey with an open wound around its eye. It is likely that this was a result of man’s violence.
Many of the older donkeys have broken legs and have been left tethered tightly in open fields without food, water or shelter. They are simply left to die.
Just last week on a neighbouring island, one donkey was beaten to death by its owner.
The policeman discovering the state of the animal was so disgusted he arrested the man, who now faces being prosecuted.
This is punishment indeed in a country where cruelty laws are in place but remain almost entirely unenforced.
Rumours are rife on Santorini that when donkeys are lame or too old to work, many are pushed off cliff faces into the sea.
Margarita insists the practice stopped years ago, before she arrived.
But it is a less expensive solution than the potential years of respite care and veterinary bills.
One donkey Margarita has rescued is Rosa, a 35-year-old with deformed hooves and in need of considerable attention. She now lives comfortably with British ex-pat animal lover Eleanor Christ-Zervos, 76, on the island.
Majda Anderson, 50, a Californian who has lived on Santorini for 14 years and works at the animal welfare association, said: “There are still some donkey owners at the port who don’t like their animals to be looked at.
“It is a complete disregard for life. Some don’t even know their animals’ names even after owning them for 16 years.
“But some of the stories would break your heart because they love their animals so much.
“One guy had a mule who couldn’t stand on all four legs. The owner was holding his injured foot for him as he walked and was whispering in his ear, ‘Don’t worry, I’m here with you’.”
With the help of Britain’s own Donkey Sanctuary, based in Devon, Margarita has been fighting for a second shelter to shade the animals from the sun.
While there is planning permission, there has been opposition from hotels and restaurants who don’t want their much-coveted views ruined by the new roof or their terraces to smell of the animals below.
Margarita is still waiting for officials to decide how much a shelter will cost – a process which has so far taken months.
The Mayor of Santorini, when asked to comment, would only say “I don’t talk about the donkeys”.
To donate to the Santorini Animal Welfare Association, email megvet@otenet.gr
* What do you think? Should this cruelty to donkeys be stopped now? Join the debate by clicking HAVE YOUR SAY
Video 
RE: SANTORINI DONKEYS
01.11.07, 4:09pm
I've been telling people for 22 years not to ride the donkeys. Over the years I've seen many examples of their mistreatment and abuse. I support any efforts to help them and I applaud the efforts of those who actively advocate on their behalf.
But it's a complex problem. Do you want to make destitute the donkey men and their families? The simplistic response is to blame them and say they get what they deserve, but the reality is that these men know no other path but the one they have followed for generations. There are no programs extant to retrain them vocationally. Any efforts to eliminate the donkey's role in tourism needs to be tempered with compassion and concern for the livlihood of those who depend on them for their daily bread. Otherwise one form of abuse will just be substituted with another.
• Posted by: Brotherleelove • Report Comment
DONKEYS IN GREECE
31.10.07, 9:53pm
I have now read most of the responses to the article regarding donkeys in the island of Santorini. I understand the arguments of most readers since donkeys in the UK are considered as pets. I have been to Santorini many times in the past and I do have a personal opinion of what is happening there so I think that statements about cruelty are rather unfair because the word cruelty carries a different meaning. I have been working with donkeys for the last 6 years and I travelled all around Greece so I have a clear view of the real situation. I receive great help from my students who work on a voluntary basis tying to improve the health of working equines. Unfortunately, so far I have seen cases of bad management, mistreatment of donkeys and neglect but very few cases of cruelty. For those interested for an objective assessment of the status of donkeys in Greece please read the following paper:
http://users.auth.gr/arsenosg/Greek_donkeys/donkeys in Greece.doc
I would like to ask the readers of Daily Express to help and not to threat. There are many individuals and charities (many of them UK based) that are dedicated towards the improvement of health and welfare of donkeys and animals in general. All will agree that the lack of proper education and knowledge of the animal needs by donkey owners is the major obstacle to any attempt for change to the “traditional mentality”.
Recently, we held an international conference entitled “the role of the donkey and the mule in the culture of the Mediterranean” from 12-14 October 2007 in the island of hydra, Greece. There were delegates from many countries and the topics covered a wide range of themes. For more information please visit:
http://www.geocites.com/donkeyconference/programme2007.html
In addition to ongoing studies regarding donkeys we are also preparing a charter based on best working practices wherever donkeys are used. The aim is to do what is most feasible and will improve both health and welfare of those working animals. Hence, we are working on the following issues:
1.Regular and affordable Veterinary provision (including dentistry)
2.Medical treatments such as vaccination and de-worming
3.Provision of shelter and water (periodicity and quality are important)
4.Regular inspection by a competent farrier. Shoeing of animals and education of donkey owners for hoof care particularly during the summer.
5.Harnessing and suitability of saddles and tack equipment
6.Loading limits and work load, definition of levels.
7.Late-life care of donkeys, post-work retirement, care and euthanasia where relevant.
8.Disposal of dead animals, establishment of proper procedures.
In my view implementation of all the above issues should be a realistic priority.
• Posted by: Arsenos • Report Comment
ANIMAL RESCUE
31.10.07, 8:27pm
I work with animal rescue here in spain. , just when you think you are hardened,..or that no one could be so cruel along comes something else that you just cannot believe a human being could do to a defencless animal...Some is ignorance for example....a farmer thought it was perfectly alright to leave his donkey tied to a tree in the august heat ..because he had cut two holes in a straw hat for his ears and put it on the poor donkey's head....we were quick to the rescue...this weekend cruelty to a litter of kittens....dumped in a bag in the rain.....they are very sick I done think they'll make it ...I am keeping an all night vigil and hourly feeds....I cant bear it if anything dies in our care....sadly it happens all too often.....
• Posted by: IRONSIDE • Report Comment
A PLEA TO BE HEARD BY A GREEK ANIMAL LOVER
31.10.07, 7:55pm
Please permit me to send the 'letter' below, by a GREEK national .... to let people know that ALL animals in Greece are abused and neglected, not just the donkeys ....
===========================
I want to share with you another unfortunate incident,
which shows one more time the way people in Greece think about animals. I find it necessary that
the whole world knows the brutalities commited here
against animals, for this could be a way to press atleast the politicians not only to give some thought to the matter and strengthen the relative laws, but also to be strict enough with their implementation.
Some friends of mine were a couple of days ago on a trip in Northern Greece. After a long tour in various towns and villages they went in the town of Kastoria, where among others the slaughter and trade of animals for their fur is a long-time preserved tradition. Among the travellers was someone who obviously was an animal lover, as he was carrying a lot of dogfood with him and was trying to feed every stray on the road. As my friends assured me the situation for the animals is horrible in these regions. It is no secret to Greek animal lovers that the way people
handle the animals is the same as in the cities if not worse in the countryside and in villages, where animals are regarded as tools or objects and suffer miserable lives and unspeakable tortures.
In Kastoria here were outside a church two stray dogs in pretty bad condition: dirty, skinny, totally neglected. One of them seemed moreover quite old,
as he could barely walk. So, this animal lover of the team approached the animals and gave them food, which they both immediately ate. When the
villagers in Kastoria saw what he was doing, one 'really macho smart guy' stood up und started yelling at him: 'Why are you feeding them? Their life has no worth. One of us here kill the strays from time to time by hanging or by hitting them with a shovel. And they certainly deserve it!'. The animal lover went on the other and there was a big fight, but of course nothing changed.
Seeing the brutalites commited all aver the world against animals, I wonder sometimes how far must
go the humiliation of a country and a nation before someone decides to do something about it. The example of Greece proves unfortunately that the humiliation has no end, although issues like the welfare of animals are for the most Europeans since long ago of high importance.
I feel profoundly ashamed not only for being Greek, but also human everytime I hear of such atrocities against these innocent creatures. Couldn't at least the European Union, a member of which Greece is as well, do something about it, in order to press the government to take measures? Apart from this, to boycott Greece as a holiday destination could probably have a certain influence, since people understand generally better what has to do with their pockets.
Please feel free to spread this information, for the whole world must know what is going on here.
www.greekanimalrescue.com
• Posted by: GAR • Report Comment
AH, MY MISTAKE
31.10.07, 4:16pm
Thought this must have been about the royal family when I seen the Camilla pic in the story. Tut tut.
• Posted by: lemrin • Report Comment
TOURISTS
31.10.07, 3:16pm
should simply NOT go to Santorini. They'll soon start talking about the plight of their donkeys if the cash cow dries up.
Cruelty shouldn't be tolerated and visitors should speak up if they see a creature being mis-treated - I know I'd have to - I'd probably end up getting deported!
• Posted by: RebelDiamond • Report Comment
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