Animal Action Greece

Calling all animal welfare groups! Battersea Dogs & Cats Home offers fantastic training through their Battersea Academy, and we highly recommend it! Our team at Animal Action Greece has participated in these programmes, and they’ve been invaluable. Whether you're looking to enhance your skills, connect with like-minded professionals, or bring fresh ideas to your organisation, the Battersea Academy has something for everyone. Open to staff and volunteers worldwide, the sessions are mostly online, free, and include bursary options for in-person training in London. 📌 Find out more and apply here: https://lnkd.in/eRA_YjCB GREEK TRANSLATION Κάλεσμα σε όλες τις ομάδες για την προστασία των ζώων! H Battersea Dogs & Cats Home προσφέρει φανταστική εκπαίδευση μέσω της Ακαδημίας Battersea και σας την προτείνουμε ανεπιφύλακτα! Η ομάδα μας στην Animal Action Greece έχει συμμετάσχει σε αυτά τα προγράμματα, και ήταν ανεκτίμητα. Είτε θέλετε να βελτιώσετε τις δεξιότητές σας, να συνδεθείτε με ομοϊδεάτες επαγγελματίες ή να φέρετε νέες ιδέες στην οργάνωσή σας, η Battersea Academy έχει κάτι για όλους. Ανοιχτή σε προσωπικό και εθελοντές από όλο τον κόσμο, οι συνεδρίες είναι ως επί το πλείστον διαδικτυακές, δωρεάν και περιλαμβάνουν επιλογές υποτροφιών για προσωπική εκπαίδευση στο Λονδίνο. 📌 Μάθετε περισσότερα και κάντε αίτηση εδώ: https://lnkd.in/eRA_YjCB

We’re thrilled to share some incredible news! Since launching in March 2023, our cat sterilization project on Paros and Antiparos has achieved a remarkable milestone: 3,803 cats sterilized to date! This achievement has been made possible by the generous support and guidance of Battersea and the Battersea Academy through their Global Programmes initiative. Working in partnership with dedicated local animal welfare groups—Cats of Antiparos, Cats Eden, Paroscat, PAWS - Paros Animal Welfare Society, and FEP Vet Centre — we’ve established what is now the largest cat-focused TNVR (Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate, Return) project in Greece and likely one of the largest globally. This achievement wouldn’t have been possible without the tireless efforts of our internal team—Isa, Martina, Flora, and Eleni—and the invaluable collaboration with our local and international partners. We’re proud of the progress we’ve made and can’t wait to continue this impactful work in 2025, helping even more cats lead healthier, happier lives.

Looking back to September, our team completed a successful three-day outreach visit to the stunning island of Kea, offering vital veterinary, dental, and farriery care to 57 hardworking equines. From treating injuries to trimming hooves and educating owners on humane practices, we’re proud to see the positive impact of our ongoing efforts. Thanks to sunny weather, dedicated owners, and a few mischievous animals, it was a trip filled with heartwarming moments. Read the full story of how we’re making a difference for the donkeys, mules, and horses of Kea here: https://buff.ly/3VIA6n7

We're immensely grateful for Battersea's support of our community based cat care and population management programme that we're implementing on the islands of Paros & Antiparos. The project is the largest and most ambitious cat focussed TNVR project in Greece and almost certainly one of the largest in the world. Since March 2023 when the project started we've trapped, sterilised, vaccinated, microchiped and treated over 3,500 free roaming cats. These cats are then returned to their colonies where local volunteers provide them with food, support and veterinary care of required. Greece is home to an estimated 3 million stray cats who all too often have short, distressing lives. Constantly searching for their next meal, at risk of injury, disease and abuse these vulnerable cats can spend their entire lives without any veterinary care, shelter or positive human contact. With Batterea's support we are working to demonstrate what community based care and management of free roaming cat populations looks like at scale. We aim to prove that over time, every one of Greece's 3 million stray cats has the chance to become a valued and cared for member of the community in which it lives.

This past week, we were delighted to host our friends from Battersea on the islands of Paros and Antiparos. Together, we’re implementing the largest community-based cat care and management project in Greece. During their visit, we discussed future plans with our incredible partners—Cats of Antiparos, Cats Eden in Paros-La banda di Casa Elea, Paroscat, and Paros Animal Welfare Society —and carried out trapping and mapping efforts across the islands. To date, we have sterilized over 3,567 cats on Paros and Antiparos, and with Battersea's amazing support, we look forward to helping even more.

TNVR forms the foundation of our work to improve the lives of free roaming cats and dogs in Greece. It’s a core part of our approach to community based cat and dog care and population management. We and our partners use the abbreviation so we decided it would be helpful to explain exactly TNVR means. We are supporting local animal welfare groups across Greece to TNVR free roaming cats and dogs. With the support of Battersea & the Battersea Academy and in partnership with five local animal welfare groups, three veterinary practices and the islands’ two local governments we are implementing the largest community based, cat care and management project in Greece on the islands of Paros & Antiparos.

This is heartbreaking news. Today, the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention decided to downgrade the protection of the wolf. This represents a dangerous step backwards for biodiversity and sets a worrying precedent for wildlife conservation.

Today is #GivingTuesday and we're launching our Christmas appeal in aid of the thousands of working horses, donkeys and mules within Greece. All around Greece, especially in rural areas, thousands of equines spend their lives working, many times relentlessly – long hours, over rugged terrain, under intense heat. These equines work to support agriculture, tourism, and transport, often without the medical care and relief they desperately need. We are committed to changing this reality, but to do so we need support. To find out more and donate, please visit: https://lnkd.in/etpmFXug

Our equine care team recently spent four days on the stunning island of Skyros, providing essential veterinary, dental, and farriery care to 93 equines, including the unique and rare Skyrian horses. From treating overgrown hooves and dental issues to offering education and support to local owners, our team worked tirelessly to improve the welfare of these incredible animals. Read about our efforts to protect this endangered breed and more here 👉 https://buff.ly/4fKjzXJ

We are very proud to be supporting animal welfare organisation, ARTEMIS, to create a vet clinic in Taxiarchis that we co-founded in collaboration with Greek Animal Rescue and the Municipality of Istiaia Aidipsos. The clinic has sterilized an incredible 1,630 stray cats and dogs. With an additional 250 cats estimated to be sterilized in December, the total number of animals sterilized in 2024 will reach an amazing 1,980! 😱 During our October sterilisation outreach, we were honoured to receive a commemorative trophy recognising our role in establishing the clinic and our ongoing support for local stray animals.