Press Release — On June 27 members of Chania animal welfare organisations attended the council meeting where they rad and distributed a letter to all the council members stating the situation in the town of Chania as regards the lack of management of strays from Chania and the efforts of the administration to obstruct and prevent the voluntary sterilisation of strays programme.
A follow up meeting with the mayor afterwards did not produce any results.
In their letter, signed by Natasa Bobolaki, the Animal Welfare Associations of Chania points to the obstructive role of the (Vetinerary) agricultural economy management of Chania, effectively preventing the implementation of council decisions and defying public will to find a viable humane and moral solution to the long-standing problem of stray animals.
The excuse is always the law which is sometimes interpreted strictly, sometimes loosely, as it suits, to continue acting against the interests of the stray animals, disregarding the (legal) responsibilities of the municipality for the management of stray animals.
As a result, the municipal animal surgery remains closed and sick and injured animals remain untreated, with individual citizens taking on the dilemma and responsibility relating to sick and injured stray animals themselves, or abandoning them to their suffering, without the slightest support from the authorities
The volunteers are disheartened, the AWOs are financially exhausted, the town of Chania is presenting a negative picture nationally and internationally, as it is the only municipality in the prefecture that makes no effort to manage the worsening situation with stay animals.
The letter then asks:
Who dictates the policy of the council?
Who is really responsible for running this council?
The council and mayor have good intentions but seem unable to implement any decisions regarding stray animals
Finally, the Chania AWOs ask the council to appoint a person responsible for the management of strays, someone able to deal with the situation without being intimidated.
