About Us – Giving Stray Animals a Second Chance

The Situation is getting worse for the stray animals of Zakynthos

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on animals around the world, including stray animals. As people have been forced to stay home and businesses have closed. People have abandoned many strays, leaving them without food or shelter. In addition, some people have abandoned their pets, fearing that they could spread the virus. As a result, stray animal numbers have increased dramatically in many parts of the world.

In some countries, the government has taken steps to help stray animals. For example, in India, the government has launched a campaign to feed strays and provide them with medical care. In the United States, some cities have opened temporary shelters for strays. However, in Zakynthos, this is not the case.

 

Unfortunately, there is no government funding or authority in Greece that accepts responsibility for animal welfare. The Municipality does not conduct a sterilisation programme, nor do the owners of dogs usually have their dogs neutered. Due to this, Sue and the other charities on the Island have been unable to address the underlying growth of the stray animal population.

Therefore, the suffering of stray cats and dogs continues. People discard unwanted puppies and kittens in plastic bags in rubbish bins and some of the islanders, around the main tourist resorts, use poison to control the stray population.

Unwanted pets are taken up into the mountains in the centre of the island and abandoned by the roadside without any water, food or shelter by their owners, leaving them to starve to death.

Sue with two Stray Animals She Rescued
Sue with a handful of Stray Puppies she rescued

A Mother's Love: Sue Gives Stray Animals a Second Chance

Sue is a foster home, not an animal shelter. She provides a loving and healing home environment for dogs and cats who are looking for adoption. The dogs and cats live together in a huge pack, and each new member is welcomed like a long-lost friend. They all groom each other, play together, and sleep together! Sue's home is a safe and happy place for animals, and she is dedicated to finding them loving forever homes.

 

Sue and her son Oliver have dedicated their lives to rescuing the strays and, in April 2018, we were successful in registering Healing Paws Animal Rescue as a UK Charity. This provides greater financial support to Sue for the relief of animals suffering on the island. Healing Paws has a dedicated UK-based Adoption Team who supports Sue and the work she does on the island.

Sue has been rescuing animals for years, but the problem has only gotten worse. There are more strays than ever, and they are all in need of help. Sue can't say no to any of them, so her home is now overflowing with animals. Her daughter Robbie has now opened her own home to the strays of Zakynthos.

Stray Puppies relaxing in the sun
Stray Cats relaxing at Sues

The Future looks promising

The long-term goal for the charity is to find a suitable property and fund the construction of a purpose-built animal rescue and rehabilitation centre but, in the short term, the objective is to constantly raise funds to support Sue’s work. The charity continues to support and promote the sterilisation of 'owned animals' as well as work with the local volunteers in the resorts, collecting stray cats and dogs and sterilising these when funding allows.