Make the WagAThon Doggie Marathon for all ATHENS!

We the undersigned support the Filozoikos Syllogos Nea Filadelphia (registered charity #25700) in their efforts to have the 2nd Annual Athens Greece Wag-A-Thon be held on October 4, 2010 International World Animal Day and to be hosted by the City of Athens and be financed by the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Agriculture.

The country of Greece has a decades old reputation of being cruel and abusive to the animals that live within its borders. There are over 150 animal welfare groups operating (officially and unofficially) trying to keep up with care and treatment of these abused animals, mostly without government funding, and relying heavily on private donations.

Getting national and international exposure of the current situation will only happen with attention from the Media.

Traditionally, the Wag-A-Thon is a fundraising event used by individual shelters and municipalities throughout the western world to raise money for a specific animal shelter or group. If the government of Greece were to step in and throw their support behind the 2nd Annual Athens Greece Wag-A-Thon as a city-wide event, it would be the FIRST IN HISTORY. A momentous day for all the stray dogs and cats in Greece, for those who live in daily fear just for owning a companion animal, and all the courageous people who fight to save animal lives.

The world would be watching as thousands of people from all walks of life come together with their dogs in the center of Athens and show all that the animal welfare movement in Greece is growing and has the support of the people, the city, and its new government.

The funds that could be raised would be colossal and would assist in the building of new shelters, renovating existing shelters, creating educational materials for school age children, billboards/radio/television advertising targeting adults that dispel myth and superstition about living with animals, and best of all, the amount of dogs and cats that would be liberated from shelters would be astonishing.

This petition will be presented as part of a proposal package to the PASOK government in Spring 2010. Please forward to as many friends, family, and associates worldwide who care and love animals.

Some background on the 1st Annual Wag-A-Thon:

On Oct. 11th of 2009, a single volunteer of the Filozoikos Syllogos Nea Filadelphia (FZNF) undertook the production of an event that was the first of its kind of Greece. The 1st Annual Athens Greece Wag-A-Thon. This fundraising event was part of the annual Fall Bazaar and Festival that the founders of the FZNF stage yearly. A short walking marathon that encouraged all people who own and love animals to bring their dogs and to walk together for animal welfare charities in Greece.

In addition to the members of the FZNF, many teams joined (comprised of children from the age of 9 years old up to people in their 70's) and together raised money that benefited the FZNF. The FZNF in turn donated 25% of the money raised by the teams to the KAZ Shelter, the Filozoikos Elefsinas & Ethelontes, and Stray.GR.

Over 7,000 euros was raised, more than 128 dogs were registered by their owners as participants, over 30 dogs from the FZNF shelter were walked, and dozens of private citizens joined in after they saw the spectacle of 100's of people and dogs all walking together. Never had such a sight been seen in Athens!

If one volunteer can bring together so many animal lovers and raise so much money for this cause, IMAGINE what could happen on October 4, 2010 with the whole city involved? ONE CAN ONLY IMAGINE A MIRACLE.

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If you would like a copy of this petition in Greek, please email. This site does not support Greek letter fonts. My apologies.