Where to go in Greece if you love animals
Some destination in Greece are more suitable for animal lovers than others. This post is about Where to go in Greece if you love animals. However, some of the information on this site applies to most travel destinations. Having travelled to Greece quite a few time, I try to update this regularly (last update 6/2023) and appreciate all comments.
Table of Contents
Why a Greece for animal lovers post?
I like animals. Especially cats. The sight of a stray cat evokes strong wishes to pet, feed and water them. If I had my will, humans would be totally outnumbered by cats in our household. But what about animal protection in places you travel to?
Some countries in Europe have the strictest animal welfare laws
Animal welfare is part of European Union legislation. Countries with the strictest animal protection laws (Austria, UK, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland and Netherlands) are in Europe.
What about Greece?
Sadly, the law is not always practised in the way it was intended. When you travel in Southern Europe, you will find many stray animals looking at you with those big hungry eyes.
I always feel so sorry for them. And I wish I could do something there and then. In fact, you can do something by choosing your destination wisely and by highlighting your concerns to local businesses and complain to the appropriate Tourism Authority.
Don’t get me wrong! Many Greeks, among them some friends of mine, love animals, and have pets that are ex-strays, but Greece keeps coming up in many “Worst places for animal welfare” lists.
Unfortunately, animal protection in Greece is not really in line with countries like the UK or Germany. Although, at least in theory, it should adhere to European Union Laws.
The number of reported cases of animal cruelty is very high in Greece. To make things worse, spaying and neutering is very uncommon across Southern Europe. Although these services readily available, there is little awareness. Neutering is therefore rarely done. Animal protection organisations do their best to neuter, but often lack funding.
So, are there places in Greece for animal lovers? Anywhere that cares for animals just better than the rest?
Where to go in Greece if you love animals – places that care for animals better than others
On my last trip to the island of Aegina, there were many stray cats in Aegina, fewer in Athens. Let me say… as much as I loved Aegina in general, I’d like to exclude it from my places in Greece for animal lovers! The trip was what actually prompted me to write this post.
At first, who can resist giving a piece of leftover fish to a little kitty at a restaurant table? Fact is, the locals hate it. And in Aegina, I thought stray cats were just tolerated.
Then we noticed that there were some feeding places for animals. People also put large containers of water out for them. After we passed a group of hungry cats diving in the bins, we bought some dry cat food and fed them. The bag of cat food became an important item in my bag.
Another problem is that cats (and dogs) are allowed to multiply uncontrolled due to lack of neutering. So this will not stop until more animals are neutered. When stopping one evening to feed some cats by the bins outside our hotel, we met a British lady who goes round town every day to feed stray cats. She told us that cats are often poisoned. I have also heard reports of other places where animals are routinely poisoned, especially at the end of the tourist season. The example of Rhodes was widely publicised a few years ago, but this is by far not the only place where this happens.
And from what I were told, the strays basically have to rely on the mercy of individuals who do feed them. Some even trap and them and have them neutered, but on the whole, they are often left to fend for them selves and multiply without control.
Places to go in Greece for animal lovers
So, where could you go in Greece where animals are treated differently? Firstly, the care of stray animals lies with the local authorities, and they often don’t have the cash to care for the animals let alone have them neutered. However, there are communities that do this differently, and here are some that I have found:
Paros
(Kyklades, Aegean): This large island appears exemplary in that it has a well-organised neutering and feeding programme run mostly by a large charity (Paros Animal Welfare Society) and with Animal Welfare Paros, it has a second animal welfare organisation.
Kefalonia
(Ionian Islands): There is a large (private) animal shelter called Animal Rescue Kefalonia on land provided by the local authority that cooperates with the local authority and is supported by a number of Austrian and German animal charities.
Corfu
After visiting Corfu in October 2018, I am happy to add Corfu to my list. Much fewer stray animals than anywhere else I have seen, instead happy, groomed, well-fed cats and dogs in most resorts and villages. At least three animal welfare charities that I know of operate there. One I looked at a little closer, Agni Animal Welfare, is based in the UK but they have volunteers in Corfu all year. They engage in Trap, Neuter and Return, winter feeding, and re-homing of stray cats on the island and abroad.
That’s not a lot of places. Anywhere else?
Actually, many islands such as Aegina, Skiathos, Crete, Kos and many places on the mainland have shelters. A lot of reports on mistreatment of animals appear to come from Crete and Rhodos, so before you pick a place, perhaps do some research online and see whether there is a shelter where you can visit, perhaps walk a dog, bring some donations and just make others aware that these shelters exist and that you are going to support them.
Some general advice
Stay and eat at places where animals are treated well
If you spot seemingly stray animals at your hotel/in a restaurant, ask about them and ask if anything is done about their welfare. I wouldn’t eat or buy in a place where animals are kicked or hit or otherwise treated badly. I am finding this difficult to judge sometimes. However, I have come across places that keep some well-fed cats or dogs, and I am much more likely to patronize these.
Don’t feed stray animals form restaurant tables. I think business owners absolutely hate it, it may annoy other customers who do not have the animal-loving streak, and may lead to more animals coming to beg and to animals being destroyed.
Visit and support a shelter at your destination
Check before you travel whether there is a local shelter and visit if you can, take some donation of food, bedding or cash, and maybe help out for a few hours.
Care for animals
If you want to feed hungry animals, buy some dry food locally and fed them away from the hotel/restaurant. Try to give them water at the same time. Bear in mind they will be left fending for themselves once the tourist season ends.
If you see an injured animal, ask at your hotel for the nearest animal rescue and inform them, or if you can, take them to the vet, but be aware you will need to pay all costs. Alternatively, report it to a rescue organisation who will often come out and carfe for injured animals.
Become a flight guardian, rescue, re-home
Bringing an animal home is generally not recommended by many animal welfare organisations, but possible, especially within the EU.
First, be sure that the animal does not belong to anyone. Generally, animals must be checked, vaccinated and issued with a pet passport. So you will need a vet. Check with your airline if it takes animals. Pets can be transported in the cabin (tends to be safer) and in the hold (must be considered for larger animals) and of course their flights must be booked. Here is a list of some airlines’ pet travel policy, but it is probably best to check directly with the airline, and also book the animal on the flight. At present, Lufthansa and Germanwings, KLM, Air France, Austrian Airlines and Vueling, among others, carry pets in the cabin.
If you fly with a pet-compatible airline, you can also sign up to bring home a pet to their new family. In Germany, Flugpate is quite a popular site, and I wonder if this practice exists on other countries, especially as many airlines allow pets to travel?
Last not least: Look at home whether any animal welfare organisations nearby has co-operations with Greece (or other countries), become a member, donate or help out. Or consider donating to the Greek Animal Welfare Fund which runs neutering programmes all over the country where vets are not easily accessible. In some Northern European countries, private shelters work with Greek or Spanish, sometimes Russian animal protection organisations and regularly have animals for adoption.
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Some strays are really friendly. This one has ear tipping, so is at least neutered. Or perhaps someone adopted this friendly guy?
We rescued three cats and we’re so happy with them
I am no stranger to this pet rescue from abroad: We have adopted three kitties from rescue organisations in Spain, and they are the most loving and friendly kitties.
Since I lived away from home, I have always had at least one rescue cat. I adopted my ex-stray cat Leia from a shelter in London 15 years ago. After she died at the grand old age of 19 earlier this year, I fell for a very different Leia while looking cats on an adoption site.
Our Spanish Siamese girl
The picture showed a rather stern looking seal point Siamese with an “I own all this” look. We adopted without meeting her, relying on the reports from the organisation and the home check to see whether our home was suitable, and just two months after the initial enquiry we picked up Leia 2.0 in Hamburg.
She flew in the cabin on a Germanwings flight from Barcelona with a flight guardian. It’s a bit pot luck with rescue cats, and there is no real return policy. And there are some hiccups: this cat already has done a protest pee on the door mat after feeding her a worming tablet, she has gone astray, fell into the lake outside our house, but nothing in the world beats that feeling when her sweet face stares at you at 6am.
Why a Spanish cat? I was already sponsoring a shelter cat there, and after hearing about the lack of funding and how adult cats rarely get adopted locally (and after falling in love with that cute chocolate face), it just felt right. If you are interested in adoption, please read my adoption story of Leia.
She didn’t stay alone for long…
A year later, she was followed by Maite, a somewhat timid but sweet blue cat. She was abandoned – she’s very much a regal Russian Blue with somewhat wonky features. I suspect she came from a puppy farm and was discarded when she grew into an adult or turned out not to be “perfect”. And a year later… you guess it! There were some discussions at home, but Aria pawed her way in very successfully. You wouldn’t notice it now, but she was another abandoned skeletal cat with large wounds that was taken in by a rescue in central Spain.
Do you know other places care for animals in Greece, and do you take into consideration how animals are treated in the country you intend to visit? I would love to hear your views – I was planning a trip to Crete but stories of animal abuse I heard and read about really has put me off for now. I would much like to extend this Greece for animal lovers post!
The small print on where to go in Greece if you love animals
I regularly travel to Greece, having visited Thassos, Thessaloniki and various other places in Northern Greece in 2015, Athens and Aegina in 2017 and Corfu in 2018. This post was written in autumn 2017 and updated in February 2020. Some on the information on this Greece for animal lovers post is based on personal experience, speaking to locals and fellow travellers, and doing research for adoption of my own rescue cats Leia, Maite and Aria. All trips were organised and paid for by myself, I received no sponsorship and all organisations mentioned in this post were included following my own research.
If you have any experiences to share, please feel free to drop me a line or leave a comment and I will update this site regularly. Your experience in other countries is also most welcome, and I am planning similar posts for other countries.
Hi Have been looking at flights to Rhodes for next summer but terrified to go in case there is a lot of stray suffering animals. I could not turn a blind eye and my husband has warned me he wants a holiday free from drama and tears! what is the situation in Rhodes like? would it be better to avoid? thanks Evelyn
Hi Evelyn, thank you for asking! To be honest, I have not been to Rhodes or Crete because I read reports of animal cruelty (basically lots of strays some unverified reports animals are poisoned at the end of the season). So.. while I am unable to answer your question My suggestion would be to support businesses that care for animals – be it a pet friendly hotel or a hotel that accommodates and feeds cats. You could reach out to a cat organisation on Rhodes, like Kalithea Cats or Greek Cat Welfare Society, and ask for recommendations. If you do travel, I would be grateful if you could let me know so I would update this post.
Hi everyone, I’ve been to Greece many times, and this is my feedback: Corfu, and the eastern part of Crete (from Agios Nikolaos) are ok. This is mainly due to the incredible work done by local rescues and shelters, with zero funding from the government or municipalities. The mainland (Thessaloniki, Halkidiki, Sithonia, Litochoro, Platamonas, Volos, Kala Nera) gave me several horrific experiences, I’ve basically spent my entire holiday neutering or taking sick cats to the vet. I’ve adopted one (already have 4 other rescues, and managed to find homes for 2 others). However, this is just a drop in the ocean. I’ve met several local rescuers, who are all overworked, overwhelmed and desperate.
What I’d like to suggest is for this blog to start promoting hotels that look after strays, even in the winter, and spay them. I know there are a handful in Greece.
Most businesses don’t listen to requests of kindness (have seen enough pleas from friends and on rescue groups for hotels to keep feeding animals, with food provided at the guests’ expense), but they will listen to money. If they know that tourists avoid them because of their track record with strays, they will do better. Every week, one hotel should be promoted, and let’s see what the impact is.
I’m stopping short of naming and shaming ‘luxury resorts’ that leave strays to starve in the winter, for fear of what would happen to them, but happy to hear suggestions.
If enough people make their voices heard, things can change in Greece.
Hi Anda, thank you so much for your detailed comment! I am so glad there are people who are looking out for animals and choosing their vacation resorts based n where animals are treated well. If you have any recommendations, please let me know. my blog is just a hobby blog, and if there is any way I can help promote gdood accommodations that look after their animals I will do so
Just returned from Kos. So many stray cats, many with clear ill health and very thin. All dogs I saw were with owners. I did see one running loose but a local man seemed to be dealing with him. I did go back to see if I could find him, but he wasn’t around. Any thoughts on Cofu in 2024. I can’t cope with seeing the poor things suffer.
Hi Sarah, please see Anda’s detailed comment above. I was in Corfu in 2018 and that was toward the end of the season. From what I saw, it seemed ok. visited Corfu Town and the northeastern part. That seemed okay. People in our hotel had a cat and kittens that appeared well fed and treated well… but still very little awareness of sterilisation, sadly. Only once did I see cats on bins, most cats I encountered looked well cared for and owned. I made a donation to Agni after the holiday as they do a lot of work there to care for strays and sterilize them
Hi, We visited Kefalonia, Greece last year and spent all our money on feeding and rescuing the stray cats and dogs, we have never seen it so bad. One needed £300 in vet treatment which we funded and luckily now we managed to get adopted. I have been working closely with Kefalonia Animal Trust to raise money as they work at the heart of the problem running neutering programmes. Kefalonia has become a terrible place to visit for animal welfare, there is no help bar KATs and a couple of very small volunteer run charities. ARK has closed its doors. If you love animals this isn’t the place to visit, we certainly will not be returning there again until this problem has been sorted. The authorities there really do not care at all, it is heart breaking.
Hi Karen, I am so sorry to hear this! I have been avoiding Rhodos and Crete for similar reasons. It is so sad! We adopted all our cats from Spain and these poor girls just got discarded/abandoned. I felt that in some places in Turkey cats are looked after (but rarely castrated) but these were mostly rural / smalltown places with moderate tourism. So far, of all places in Greece I would say Corfu has definitely taken some action and also, when I visited Chalkidiki some years ago, you would not find cats by the bins, and cats we met were friendly and appeared to be at lest in part adopted by hotels and restaurants. I recently returned from Japan (small city) where almost all free roaming cats were ear tipped and fed – including those at my university which were in good shape. On the other hand, they still whale and sell kittens and puppies in pet shops.
Thank you for updating me Karen! I have edited the post as to not mislead any one caring for animals at their holiday destination.
I am have been searching the internet for weeks looking up areas in Greece that have the least stray animals and I was so glad to find this page, as I found nothing positive at all online. I so want to visit Greece, i was there as a child many years ago and I would so love to return but I could not handle seeing animals suffering. I could not try a blind eye and walk away so that is what is stopping me from going. I take from reading it that Corfu would be a safer option? i pray something changes for these poor animals it breaks my heart even reading the comments here!
Hi Evelyn, thank you for your comment! I think Corfu might be a safe bet. I visited at the end of the season and found only very few animals gathering by the bins in villages. Also, smaller towns rather than bigger resorts (they are nicer anyway). We were in Paleokastritsa and around Agios Gordios. Basically, the extreme north and the extreme South are the really touristy places we avoided.
Sithonia (Chalkidiki) seemed well managed in terms of animals, as well – certainly free roaming cats there, but in good shape and probably looked after.
Such helpful information for animal lovers on here – thank you. For anyone travelling further afield, there is an excellent charity in Kathmandu, Nepal, called KAT (Kathmandu Animal Treatment Centre) founded by Jan Salter in 2002. They have spayed thousands of bitches, inoculate against rabies, run education programmes and have recently opened a cancer clinic for dogs. For more information go to their website, http://www.katcentre.org Thank you.
Thank you for your comment! I like to donate to a local shelter when I travel , so any information on those is most welcome!
Thank you so much for putting this together! So helpful, and I loved all the pictures. We are thinking of visiting Santorini, but I think the stray situation is quite bad there?
Hi Julia, thank you for your comment! To be honest, I have not been to Santorini for about 20years so I don’t know how the situation is exactly. The good news is that Santori has a Trap-Neuter Return Programme (http://www.santorini-cats.com/de/) as well as several cat shelters, at least one of which can be visited (https://www.sawasantorini.com/visits-to-sawa) so in terms of animal protection, they appear well set up. I believe if you show an interest in the animals, enquire about their welfare, this will hopefully help in the long term that they get the care they deserve, and visit the local shelter and find out how you as a visitor can help.
Hello! I have just come across your article, it was so helpful, thank you.
I have only visited Athens in Greece and would love to see more of the country but I have to say seeing stray animals has really affected me greatly in most places I go to, so much so its stopped me from wanting to visit a lot of places now.
I recall seeing a group of strays being fed by a homeless man on my first night in Athens and one of them was in such a bad way, looked completely out of it, was dribbling and looked very old. The man reassured me she was just old and he saw her every day, but it was concerning. I asked the man if charities ever help, he told me very rarely, he fed them from donations he collected throughout the day. I wish I had done more but I just at the time didn’t have a clue what I could do other than give him a big donation. She was one of so many cats I didn’t know if they would locate her again if I called anyone.
I found the stray situation pretty bad in Montenegro and Bulgaria when visiting recently, but they at least seem to monitor them and have a neutering programme for city dogs in Bulgaria. I think rural areas are another story…
They absolutely love the cats in both countries, and I saw balconies with food and water on everywhere. They apparently hate dogs though 🙁
I actually work with four charities in North Macedonia, Serbia and Romania. I have to say they are some of the worst countries for animal cruelty, poisoning, mass killings and general hatred of animals. Its incredibly sad. I try and do what I can to help, but it seems out of control. Not sure I could ever visit somewhere like India, I couldn’t cope and would be in tears all the time!
I noticed you mentioned Aegina. I am glad you did, I would like to go only since I saw this article – https://greekreporter.com/2021/04/06/aegina-set-become-first-greek-island-zero-stray-dogs/
I hope it means they have been sorting the situation for cats too? From what you said, maybe not though. It seems they have been trying to educate the locals and children about good pet ownership. I hope they can roll this out in more locations. It breaks my heart to see so much suffering of these poor animals.
Glad to have found this article as I really did think I overreact at times when I see them. I feel reassured there are others that care!
Sophi
Hi Sophi, thank you so much for your thoughts! I visited Aegina in 2017, and there were many stray cats. We fed them and met some other people who were residents and also fed them and who said they get them sterilised when financial resources allow and that they already had sterilised some of them. All in all, I was pretty upset because there were so many strays crowding the bins. It was a bit better in parts of Corfu where there is a rescue organisation that looks after stray colonies (Agni) and in Sithonia (Chalkidiki) where there seemed to be well fed yet unneutered looking cats and very few dogs. So, while Aegina is lovely, my experience is a few years old and I hope it has improved. I am also involved with a local shelter and even here in “rich” Germany we have incredible cases of animal abuse and neglect – sadly!
PS: We have three ex stray cats from Spain who love the indoor comfort and are great pets. I would adopt more but my husband says three is enough which, realistically speaking, it is. At least, three fewer cats off the street, and I can only encourage everyone to look into adopting instead of buying a kitten from a breeder
Hi Sophi, I last went to Aegina in 2017 and there were quite some stray cats in Aegina Town but we also met lots of people who cared for them and spent their own money getting them castrated, so I think a lot of people care and take action. In Corfu, a year later, we came across few stray cats and learned about at least one organisation there called Agni Animal Welfare who are registered in the UK but do a lot of colony care and sterilizing animals there. As much as I would love to visit Rhodos or Crete, I have avoided it because I heard reports of animal cruelty here. Getting informed is certainly a good first step.
Very interesting report! I rescued and adopted my cat from Paleokastritsa, Corfu in 2017 after finding her there whilst on holiday, surviving all alone and flew her back with me to the U.K. via Paris (as you can’t fly an animal in the cabin directly to the U.K.). She is exceptionally affectionate and loving and I’ll never regret the aggro it took to get her back here. I did see what appeared to be evidence of poisoned fish left out in the area where I re-found my cat (well after the tourist season had more or less ended, in October). Overall, the state of the cats were very variable, but eye problems were common as well as likely heartworm (transmitted by mosquitos of which there are loads in Corfu). One place I saw less cats in Greece in general – and the ones I did see in not bad condition – was in Sifnos in the Cyclades.
I do always take dried food for cats when I go to Greece and my advice is to leave food by the bins (preferably not on a main road) and some water preferably nearby but not next to the food. The volunteers who work for the animal charities do an amazing job with little reward, apart from knowing they are doing something for these poor animals. The Agni Animal Welfare Fund were amazing by helping me and arranging fostering for my cat whilst I flew home for the 21day wait period after the rabies jab the U.K. requires. I still support them by a regular monthly amount; when people do this, the charity knows they can depend on the regular amounts they send in for budgeting.
Hi, thank you so much for your comment! I am so pleased you managed to rescue your kitty off the streets. I never know whether to feed cats on holiday or not, but in the end I usually buy dry food and feed them where they congregate! I have come across Agni in Corfu as well, and made a donation when I returned form Corfu – giving to a local animal rescue might be a good way to support the local cats. I will keep Sifnos in mind – I hope these cats there are well looked after. Also I found in Turkey, especially smaller towns, community cats are well fed and liked by people, not sure if they get neutered, though. Another great way to support local animal welfare is to stay in an animal-friendly hotel or guesthouse, but these are a bit trickier to find. We adopted cats from Spain who were all former street cats, adopting into the EU through a rescue organisation was pretty straightforward, as the cats were already in their care and we just went to pick up the cats at the airport, and once I flew to Barcelona myself to pick one cat up, as the flight guardian arrangements had fallen through
I lived in Greece 40 years ago and the situation in Athens, Rhode and Kos was terrible then. I cycled to school each day with cat biscuits trailing from the back, and adopted several cats during my time there. I too love the country but hate the animal cruelty. In 2018 we drove to Skiathos and met Sharon, who runs the Skiathos Cat Welfare Association. It is a charity well-worth supporting. On the road to Greece we saw dogs that had been dumped by the side of the road, particularly on the road to Ioanina, and many stray cats in Thessalonika. We left a campsite on the Halkidiki peninsular because of hungry stay cats and dogs. I vowed never to visit Greece again. When we returned, I went to London to visit the HQ of the Greek Animal Welfare Fund. The CEO was inspiring. They are doing amazing work all over Greece and working in education and with local communities, which is key. They have even had some success working with the government. They are a professionally run charity in a tiny office with low admin costs.
Your point about writing to tourist agencies is so valid. Greece relies on tourism and if enough people make the point that they will only visit animal friendly places, then actions will speak louder than words. It is a brilliant idea to create the information you have – thank you so much..
Hi Helen, thank you for your comment and the useful information! I think many holidaymakers who do care about animals are not aware of the situation, and feeding a stray animal while on holiday may seem a brilliant idea (and I have done it too) but does not solve the problem! I hope people become aware of this and inform themselves on the communities they are spending their holiday in. It is a tiny step to help the community animals and show that people care about animals. I have friends in Greece who love animals and I love the country but staying anywhere where animals are not cared for is not on for me, so I try to find some information on my intended destination. I know mainstream media might be biased, but if there are various reports about animal cruelty, I am not going. If I do go somewhere, I do make a point to find out about animal shelters in the region and visit or at least support them financially.
Hi, I went to Corfu for the first time last year ( July 2020} . I used to work on other Greek Islands and have holidayed in a few but haven’t been back for about 10 years. I was very disappointed to see that the animal situation had not improved much in that time. I saw dead cats on the road and many unhealthy, un – neutered cats living and scavenging around bins. Dogs were chained up in gardens, on their own often in full sun with no water, looking sad and lonely. From what I was told the 3 animal charities do what they can, but as always they are fighting a loosing battle. I met a half German half Greek local who had rescue cats and dogs who said her neighbours had tried to poison her dogs and thought she was mad for having them. I love Greece, the scenery, the weather, the food etc but the overall lack of compassion towards cats and dogs and in many cases downright cruelty puts me off ever returning. I make donations to animal charities every month just to feel I am doing something to help.
Hi Caroline, thank you for your comment! I am sorry you saw animals suffer in Corfu! We observed something similar in Aegina, and although I love the island, there were so many starving stray animals – despite some individuals best efforts to feed and neuter them. In comparison I felt the situation in Corfu was less severe, but we visited at the end of the season and apart from seeing cats going through bins once, there appeared fewer stray cats – and most cats in the streets we encountered in the streets were well fed and in good condition. The animal welfare issue has kept me from visiting Rhodes and Crete so far, and I am grateful for all comments that highlight people’s experiences. We have three rescue cats and we are happy we can have them and give them the luxury life. I work for a local rescue, and when I don’t, I regularly donate a small part of my income because no animal should starve or be neglected. Thank you so much for highlighting this.
We are on Paxos. Unfortuythe PAWS shelter is on minimal support due to covid atm. I have left money and set up a monthly DD. Th paxonians are good to the cats but there are an awful lot at feeding stations and bins and as the vets havnt come this year via a charity in the UK to neuter its a n increasing problem. We had 3 Ferrell kittens and mummy here at villa gallini so I fed them as much as I could to try and give them as good astsrt to life. I would have loved to adopt the little black one as she was the most affectionate and could e handled. I didn’t have the know how about adopting until the last day. We need to raise these charities profiles through air and tour companies.
Clare
Hi Clare, thank you for looking out for them! I am so glad yo visited the PAWS shelter. I have visited cat shelters on holiday in the past and although it is often upsetting, I am glad these shelters exist and I support about three of them regularly, and have mande many more one-off donations. I also follow and like them on social media. We have three cats from three different shelters in Spain. It is straightforward to adopt into the EU but takes approximately 2-3 weeks as the animals get vaccinated and tested for rabies etc. and have a passport issued and their transport arranged. I also work for a local shelter where the cats get adopted more quickly hence my decision to adopt from abroad.
Thank you for very helpful website. We found on skiathos there is an amazing English lady, that has been neutering and caring for cats via the Skiathos cat welfare association. There is also dog shelter. On Paxos there is also an animal welfare society. Our worst experience was Dubrovnik, where I’d heard the locals poison cats. I was witness to what looked an agonising death, sadly have never been able to get that image out of my head. Apparently in the old town it’s the same. I wouldn’t recommend it as holiday destination if you are a cat lover. Hotel Villa Marie in Syvota, I highly recommend if you like animals, they are pro animal welfare.
Hi Lee, thank you so much! I’ll take Dubrovnik out of my places to visit list! It is encouraging to hear about more places where people care about animals, and I will not go somewhere where animals are mistreated. The Villa Marie looks beautiful and I have put that on my map because as our travel plans are falling apart, we might visit Northern Greece if it’s safe!