|
April 5th 2007
The committee wish to thank all those who have supported us over the past year, particularly those who have sponsored animals, paid into the bank every month via direct debit, or simply made donations.
We had almost 5,000 Euros donated by visitors to Menegata last summer, and this has been of immense help during the long winter months, we look forward to even more visitors this season. The collecting tins around the island have raised a considerable amount too.
We managed to home 13 dogs and 9 kittens last year, they went to the UK, Germany, Paris, Holland and Austria as well as here on the island.
We have been fortunate enough to have been given a grant by Greek Animal Welfare Fund of 2,000 Euro for neutering, and this will enable us to neuter 19-20 animals in addition to those we would do as a matter of course. In 2006 we spent 15,000 Euros with the vet and most of that went on neutering so we think we are making a difference.
Greek Animal Welfare Fund invited Keith and me onto a course in donkey care in Crete, Keith was taught more about the art of the farrier, and I did the nursing course, this has been of immense help and has raised our confidence in handling and treating them. They also sent us a farrier and an equine dentist in April of this year, so the donkeys are set up for the summer months.
We welcome a new vet to the island, Amanda, and she is in the process of preparing her new surgery and we hope she will open for business very soon. There is too much work for one vet and having Amanda here will enable us to do more neutering. She is going to work with the mayor in implementing a neuter programme for the stray dogs in this area and perhaps the other municipalities will follow suit. Shelters do not work well here, it is difficult to find homes for the animals and if you cannot move some on you never have space for another. We intend to concentrate on persuading people to neuter their animals, with our help where necessary, and therefore cut down on the number of abandoned animals in the streets.
We cannot emphasise enough how much we appreciate the support of everyone, not just financial help but practical help, Carole comes and helps with the daily care of the animals, Michael who comes over from Germany to enable us to take the dogs to their new homes and not forgetting the intrepid dog walkers who come even when it is raining, a huge thank you to all.
We are now busy looking forward to the beginning of the tourist season, if you are coming to Kefalonia this summer please come and visit us, we are open 6 days a week, Monday – Saturday between 10 AM and 2 PM. The animals all love visitors - they get bored of just us through the winter months, and Gertie the goat has a gleam in her eye, be warned!
|
