"Dog-hell" Mayor of Volos in Greece speeds up illegal campaign committing healthy dogs to certain de

In Greece, dogs are allowed to freely roam the streets, while looked after the communities in which the belong, who see to their food, care and neuturing. They are known and loved and all have names by which they are recognised. However in Volos, where street dogs are part of the city scape, the new Mayor has decided to remove these dogs from the streets forever, despite Greek law which says no healthy animal can be held for more than 10 days. The Mayor's plan is to enclose them in open pens in an area that is unsafe and unsuitable for habitation, without shelter, care or proper provision for their health and rehoming. He began rounding up the dogs (before the pens where even properly erected) with the support of a dog handler who has a history of animal abuse and neglect. The man is supposedly to be in charge of the dogs. Needless to say, the healthy animals that have been caught since this 'project' started some weeks ago have become ill, as you can see from the accompanying photo. Healthy animals are now skin and bone and in desperate need of care. Many dogs have gone missing. Greek law prohibits any healthy stray dog being kept more then 10 days in any shelter, yet the Mayor of Volos (who has announced on TV that "I am the law" and stated that some laws "are meant to be broken" wants the dogs to be locked up permanently. The citizens of Volos are outraged by this completely inhumane and illegal scheme, and have been using many legal means to prevent stop this practice. Through the efforts of these people, the Mayor has agreed not to use the pens until they are habitable. In the interim however, he has ordered that the dogs are sent into the 'care' of the abusive dog handler, who is not based in Volos - nor is he contracted to the Volos Council to provide this service. This man apparently has a license from his own council area to keep 15 animals. There are approximately 200 Volos dogs being sent to him. When you consider that the dog that is in this picture has already been in this mans 'care' for the past 10 days, you can imagine what fate awaits the other dogs. The towns people of Volos are concerned that these dogs removal from the area will prevent them from being able to help the dogs while they are being held, and get the dogs back into their community. There is also a fear that the dogs may end up being released into the mountains or woods where they will starve to death. This insanity has to stop. Already we have sent over 3000 petitions to the Mayor and his council demanding that they stop this practice. We have appealed to parliamentarians and the district attorney for help, but this is all taking time. We need to stop this now. Please put your voice to ours and help us make a stand to stop the cruelty and make them safely return the dogs they have captured to the communities in which they belong. Please sign and share this petition and please flood the inboxes of the mayor and his council with your complaints: 

Mayor Beos : a.mpeos@volos-city.gr

Please cc: pressoffice@yptp.gra.mpatziakas@volos-city.gr; gmoulas@gmail.com;  apnanos@gmail.com; moloxidis@vol.forthnet.gr

To Mayor Achileos Beos


The international community has watched with sadness and disgust while you capture and enclose healthy street dogs and have committed them indefinitely to penned enclosures, without adequate shelter or care. Since your plans have been in action, previously healthy animals are now ill and at risk.  


The citizens of Volos protested the capture and complained that the area in which you erected these enclosures are not suitable for sustaining any life form. They have complained that the area is unclean and full of unsafe debris and litter. They have complained that you have enclosed vicious and sick dogs with tame and healthy dogs, making this situation even more of a disaster.  


It has only been as a result these complaints by the people of Volos that you agreed to move the dogs so that volunteers can make the area habitable - a matter that will take at least six months. However, you have insisted that all of the animals will be moved away from Volos and into the care of your dog catcher, who is a man with a history of animal abuse and neglect.


This man is not a Volos man and he has no contract with your council, yet you have accepted him as the guardian of these dogs of Volos against the wishes of your citizens. By moving the animals out of the care of the community to which they belong, you are committing the animals to certain abuse and death, especially as this person only has facilities for 15 dogs and you will have captured nearly 200 animals.


Your plan is that all animals - even those that are healthy will never be set free. This is against the laws of your country.


You have brought shame to your government and Greece by publically declaring that you “are the law” and by announcing that “some laws are meant to be broken”. Mayors are low level public figures in any government and only politicians can dictate laws through acts of parliament. Your job is to uphold the laws of government - not to make them.


Your actions are clearly of an irresponsible and criminal nature, and as members of the international community we will not tolerate your blatant cruelty towards animals, your complete disregard for the laws of Greece and the way you have ignored the people of Volos that you serve.


You are being petitioned by the signatories hereunder, not to hold the dogs for more than 10days as is the law, and to return them to their communities for care. You are being petitioned to not hand the care of the dogs you have captured to your appointed dog handler who resides outside of Volos and is abusive to animals. You are being petitioned not to release the animals into the mountains and forests if you were considering this route. We petition you to stop your illegal actions and your continued animal abuse.


Until this happens, more petitions will be gathered from the international community calling for the humane and legal treatment of these animals. We will ensure that the voices of the international community is heard by as many government departments and politicians in Greece as possible, to force them to bear pressure on you to stop. 


In taking this action, we will discourage tourism to Volos and to Greece, while you are engaging in this lawless activity. No foreign visitor wants to see animals being badly treated, nor will they feel safe visiting a country where such open lawlessness is allowed.   


We will continue to watch your actions and raise negative publicity against you and against you government if it allows your actions to continue.  

Update #59 years ago
The Mayor has agreed to remove the dogs from the pens while volunteers build shelters for the dogs. However, in doing this, the Mayor has consigned the dogs to a man outside of Volos, who has a history of dog neglect. This man is licensed to keep only 15 dogs on his property. Around 200 street dogs have been collected. Once the dogs are removed, there is no certainty that the volunteers can get access to them to help them.
Update #49 years ago
The collection of dogs has resumed and the Mayor is making TV broadcasts to convince others that this is a good thing. We have made appeals to the District Attorney, the Ministry of Justice, Hellenic Animal Welfare Federation and the Greek Ministry of Rural Development, which is responsible for issues like this. We are also approaching other ministries to support us. Please flood the mayors email with your protests: mayor@volos-city.gr or Fax: 2421350175
Update #39 years ago
Dog capture has slowed down as a result of protests, but there is no promise the Mayor will stop his plans - especially as dogs are still held in these illegal enclosures. Please tell the Mayor to return captured dogs to their communities and account for the two missing dogs. His personal email address is mayor@volos-city.gr
Update #29 years ago
It is important we keep up the pressure on the Mayor of Volos to stop this illegal dog capture and return captured dogs to the communities they came from - including the two missing dogs. Florica of animal welfare group Fliozooiki Volou Kosmos Kai Fisi asks everyone to please flood the inbox of the Mayor with mails of protest. His personal email address is mayor@volos-city.gr and fax number 002421350175
Update #19 years ago
We can report that two captured dogs are missing and the dogs in the ‘shelter’ are starving. There is no protection for themfrom the weather as it is so cold and windy that not even trees grow there. When told that what he was doing was illegal, the mayor answered: "I don't care I am the law"! His plans are to create three fenced areas and put 50 dogs in each, without providing any food, cleaning or care for the dogs. Please help us to stop this power hungry mayor from his inhumane plans.
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