Anybody staying at the Ilios Hotel in Kriopigi? We have been approached by lots of tourists staying there that are upset at the state of a dog which is in some wasteland at the back of some hotel rooms. Not sure if it belongs to the hotel but I went to see it today and it is in a disgraceful state.

I have emailed Olympic Holidays who use this hotel, but there needs to be something done for this dog. It is difficult for me as I live here to approach the hotel owners and I dont want them to take it out on the dog. However, I am going to have to try Julie and/or the Greek Animal Welfare to help this dog. IT is in a filthy wooden kennel on about a yard of chain. It has fleas, most likely mange, lost half its hair and has only a big bucket of filthy water. It is surrounded by its own mess and smells, but has such a lovely temperament.

Please, please, anybody staying there or nearby check this dog out and make some enquiries via your reps. It will only be remedied when people realise tourists do not want to see this sort of cruelty going on.

I gave it some food today which it gobbled down in a few seconds. Not sure how often it is being fed but what an awful existence in a filthy kennel under some dark bushes. Poor thing......

Jane

I will take a photo next time I visit Kriopigi and post it on the forum so you can see just what sort of conditions this poor dog lives in.

Dear Jane, listen please this history. I believe that you 'll feel happy.I arrived in porto Carras marina with the two labradors and wife 26 of June, 46C° as you know.As the dogs were on the pier they pushed themself inthe water. I had to open the boat, to care the dogs,to empty the land rover 110 crew cab.A big job and the first two days were terrible but after all is gone well. The labradors learned to go in and out the boat and as you know in porto carras there is a lot of space . Beautiful trips on the water, fantastic stay in the little coves and in the boat they were happies, of course in my bed in the main cabin, of the air conditioned.This until 7 of July, saturday, 6 am the dogs went out for their necessites and there was a man, making footing,followed by a giant dog with the tongue out.
The bastard man was not the owner , only the dog was asking him help.My female dog, more clever,looked at the giant and said " I have forgotten something in the boat!" an quickly returned. The male said " No, I have to defend my love! Let me go against the enemy!" .At that point the giant made one " grrrrrr" and the male told " I'll defend my love after" and escaped on the boat.After few minutes the giant returned in front of the boat and looking at me asked help. I became foolish. I had toresolve the problem of this dog leaved alone from many days.I turned around two days asking if was possible to find the owner. Asking if someone wanted this fantastic dog.No one. For 10 days I leaved him ( yes, I write " him" and not " it", is not a mistake) near a friend, where I had gone for 3,4 times a day for food, play.We arrived in my home , near Milan, the evening of 18 July with the two labradors and the morning of 20 July we started again, with Anek, to take the giant with us.In the morning of 22July we started from neos marmaras and you cannot imagine the trip.
Now mr Athos of Halkidiki, his name,is beloved part of my family.The two labradors play all the day with him and as you know they are never tired to play and when this happens Athos look at me, says " Arf, arf, arf ,please tell them to finish".Now I am happy. If I was not able to help Athos sure in the future for a long time I 'll feel myself depressed. Ciao Beppe

Well done Beppe,

what a wonderful name for a big dog, I am sure he is now having a wonderful life

Joanne

Lovely story Beppe. So glad he is now safe.

The dog I write about. Well Julie gave me worming tablet, stronghold and food for this dog. I went to see her, wormed and strongholded her, washed her filthy bucket out and filled it with fresh water and fed her. I also cleaned her eyes and tried to clean up around her a bit.

That was only two days ago. I could not go yesterday as it is a 32 mile round trip and we had chores to attend to. However I went today and shock, she is gone! Dont know where, or what has happened to her. The kennel was empty and the water bucket gone.

I am not sure how I feel. I did not like her being there, but at least I could have kept an eye on her and tried to make her life more happy, Now I dont know where she has gone. Has she been set free in the woods and left to starve, has she been killed by the owner, or has she gone to her winter home which will probably be as filthy and depressing as her summer one.

I am very sad today, I was hopeful for this dog and it ruined my day to find her gone without knowing where.

I must admit, this is the bit I hate about Greece. I love everything else, well almost, but the animal neglect upsets me dreadfully. I was hoping as we are here for three years to at least help some poor dogs, but I have lost the first one already.

Never mind, I will keep trying to do my best. At least the problem of dogs chained up near hotels might end with the season, the problem of abandoned pups and dogs remains all the time.

Jane

Dear Jane,
I understand how you feel today.I also after I have seen Athos had some serious problem with greek people.One told me to give him Athos.He was the owner of a fuel station. I leaved him there and i had gone 3 times a day to see him and for the food. At the end of second day I saw that the bucket of the water were no more and I took 100 euro ,I gave to the man, I said him to " fuck........" and I moved Athos to a friend of mine for few days. But you must understand that greek people suffered for 450 and more years so they don't care the animals. Now they are " new rich" and have stupid dogs with pedigree only fo exibition.
When I and wife arrived the evening of saturday 21 July in neos marmaras to take Athos there were a italian family,my patients, very rich and egoist that when knew the reason for which we were making the trip, told us " you are foolish" not smiling as friends but seriously. At that point in front of all I told them all what I thought of them.
So, Jane, don't worry. You have made the possible and this is important.
I am starting in the next days for Porto Carras to winterise the boat. I 'll glad if perhaps you and your husband will arrive for a visit. I also must go in Paliouri to se a great friend of mine, a greek-english man. May be that we will meet. Ciao Beppe

Hi Beppe, we go to Paliori once a week to eat, so we would love to meet you, and your family, there. We are here til Dec this year. You can email us, we now have email at home at last. If you want the phone number, I can email you privately. Let us know when you plan to arrive.

We go to a wedding party in Paliori on 14 Oct, at Yannikos restaurant. Do you know them?

Jane

Dear Jane, this is my email address: srcparalos@tiscali.it.Send me your email address,if you want.After reading your messagge I emailed to my greek-english friend who own a villa in Paliouri to ask him the permission to give you his email address.The same I ask you. In this way you can contact yourself. He is a perfect gentleman, this is the right word for him..Perhaps i'll start 6 or 7 of october and I'll return from igoumenitsa the 14 october. But I want meet my friend so, sure, I'll go in kassandra peninsula.Ciao Beppe

Again for Jane. I read on the forum that my mail address is impossible to read. I am not expert of computer. How is possible comunicate with you?. Thanks Beppe

If you look on the reply pane as in this email I am sending you there is a private messages tab at the top to click on. Do that and send me a private message. If you cant do that, send email via forum but type like beppe at address dot com, you get the idea? Cheers Jane

Just to let you know, please let your rep know about any strays or tied up dogs that you are worried about. In this instance I have had a reply from Olympic Holidays customer service, and also their local area manager, both wanting to help. They cant help if you dont tell them. I know some people dont want to get involved, but if you are worried about the condition of any animal it will only get better if you mention it to people who want to help.

Nobody wants to see animals ill treated, so please, next time you see something please tell your rep. In this case if the rep had mentioned this to the local area manager something may have been done sooner for this dog, and it may not have disappeared like it has.

Thanks for caring.... please.....