Over 70 Municipalities from around Greece and 58 Animal Welfare Associations, Police and Prosecuting authorities were represented in the 1st Conference of Municipalities and Animal Welfare Associations held on May 6th, 2017 in Athens.
The conference voted two resolutions that were forwarded to the PM, the Speaker of Parliament and ministers.
1 – is calling for the Government and the competent Ministries “to make use of the knowledge, the experience and the know-how especially of the animal welfare organisations and adopt programmes and solutions that change the current perception and the treatment of the stray animals.
2 – The Federation and its Associations with their voluntary, continuous work everywhere will continue their efforts towards that aim.
Charalambos Koukianakis the mayor of Apokoronas, one of the very first Municipalities to introduce a comprehensive, regular neutering programme for strays, spoke in favour of the expansion of the volunteer vet neutering-and-release programme in parallel with an education and adoption campaign. “The longer term aim of our council is to develop a permanent municipal veterinary clinic for neutering” Mr Koukianakis said.
Mr Koukianakis, in his contribution made the case against the “dog pound solution” favoured by several municipalities, using the experience of the work done in Apokoronas.
Finally the mayor highlighted the importance of the contribution of the police in reducing the number of abandonments and animal abuse.
