Volunteering on a Greek Island

I needed a short sunny break from cloudy London and was lucky enough to have the opportunity to visit my friend in Naxos, Greece. After booking my flights only a week in advance, I did some research to see if there were any animal charities on the island. I found Naxos Animal Welfare Society (NAWS), I emailed them right away offering to volunteer some of my time.

The day came where I had arranged to meet Matina at 10:30am out the front of the local hospital. She picked my friend and I up and drove us to the dog shelter which was about a 15 minute drive away. During this time it gave us a chance to have a chat about the organisation.

The charity began in 2005, but the shelter opened in 2008. The place we were driving to had 40 adult dogs on site. There was another site which housed approximately 15 puppies, which unfortunately I didn’t have a chance to visit this trip.

I learnt that the cats on the island don’t have a designated shelter, they continue to live on the streets. The charity have placed several feeding stations around the island, to ensure they are not going hungry. During the summer months they are well fed by locals and tourists. In winter there are less people around, so these feeding stations are important for their survival. The cats are neutered during the winter months, to manage the cat population on the island.

Unfortunately these cats are unlikely to be rehomed on the island. Keeping them indoors in a shelter environment would not be in their best interest. They are much better suited to live on the streets. The cats I came across were clean, friendly and never a bother.

Although the cats are able to survive on the streets of Naxos, dogs would find it a lot harder. The welfare society is doing the best they can to house all the dogs that come into their possession. Unfortunately the welfare of dogs in the community is not a high priority.

Money is tight in Greece and often the people don’t have enough to look after their dogs properly. They can’t provide decent housing from the elements, food or veterinary care. This is when dogs are often dumped on the street or at the front of the dog shelter. Animal cruelty is a big concern, however more reports are being made and followed up on, thanks to this charity.

It was already hot by the time we arrived at the shelter. We got out of the car, closed the doors and instantly heard the chorus of dogs howling, excited their carer had arrived. As we walked up the path towards the front gate we noticed a dog a few meters ahead of us. The dog was alive but unable to move away. He was in the sun, tied tightly with no water in sight. The poor boy was terrified and very timid. Once we were able to untie the rope, Matina carried him to the shelter.

At the front gate the dogs inside were very excited, barking and howling at the sight of this new arrival. The poor dog, dumped by his family, left in the sun and now coming into this unnatural environment. Matina was fantastic. She got him a collar and lead, placed him in the kitchen with some food and water and allowed him his space to settle and take in his new situation.

The staff will determine which pen/pack he would best be suited to join, after he becomes more comfortable within the shelter. The introductions take a lot of time and careful consideration, as the safety and welfare of the dogs is their most important concern.

The staff would prefer these dogs didn’t have to live here, but there is not a lot of options for them. It was sad to learn that many have been in this shelter for years and will potentially never leave. Re-homing a dog in Greece is not likely, which is a shame because they were all so friendly. They do however adopt dogs to other European countries. The number one country is actually Germany!

NAWS don’t receive a discount like you may expect for any incured veterinary fees. Any new owner re-homing a dog therefore pays a donation fee which covers the dogs neutering, worming, flea and tick treatment. The charity then pays for the dogs transportation to the adopted country, which I find incredible. It’s very costly to transport animals, so this is extremely generous. I believe the new owners should at least pay half of the fee, since the charity should be focusing and directing their limited funds to the animals still in their care. However that’s just my opinion.

During our time at the shelter we helped with cleaning and racking their pens, scrubbing water buckets and replacing with fresh water. Before we entered the pens, Matina tied the dogs up before giving them their own bowl of food. This allowed each dog to feel more comfortable, knowing the other dogs wouldn’t bother them during their meal. They were never tied up for long and could always reach shade and water during this time.

Majority of the dogs were housed together in small packs. However there were some living alone or in pairs.  Matina new each and every dog, their names, their story and the suffering they endured before arriving. All the dogs we met and interacted with were extremely friendly and sociable. Here is a video of the shelter.

NAWS has 10 “staff” who are actually volunteers and thus not paid for their hard work and dedication. They also have a number of other volunteers which fluctuates during winter and summer. I counted about 12 pens in total, with 4 dogs housed outside the pens in different areas within the grounds. These dogs were the newest arrivals yet to be introduced into a pack.

The dogs are checked on twice daily, once in the morning when they are fed and again in the evening. They are taken for walks when volunteers are available. It took us 3 hours to clean, water and feed all 40 dogs, with three of us working. The staff usually do this alone, so it takes a lot longer. This gave Matina some time to get other tasks done that she may not have had time to do if we weren’t around to help.

If you are ever in Naxos remember to contact NAWS and let them know you would love to help out. You can check out their website to learn more and support their efforts. You will be helping not only the carers but the dogs too, as they are so happy and eager for the extra attention.

Thanks for reading!

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Center Information:

The Naxos Animal Welfare Society is made up of a group of people who care about the welfare of stray and badly treated animals on Naxos.

With the support of the foundation “Fondation Brigitte Bardot”  they have managed to sterilise 150 cats and 40 dogs each year on average.

The organisation is in need of support to help advocate for animals through education, legislation and direct care. They are also happy to receive donations of any kind.