Luna is Adopted!

Luna on the boat

On October 1, 2014, Luna traveled from Amorgos to Athens airport. Later that same day, she flew to Holland where her new family was eagerly awaiting her at the airport. When she arrived, she went to them right away. She was curious about the world which she arrived in but she was tired from the long journey and slept the rest of the way to her new home. She is adored by her family, and she is enjoying everything there from the green grass, cows, riding in the car and sleeping on her new blanket. She loves to play and run and sometimes she is shy, but the cats are getting used to her and the kids love her, so what more can we ask for? We are so happy for her, and wish her the best in her new life!

Luna felt safer in her transport box as we were waiting the car that took us to the airport

Litsa and Luna in the queue for the check-in

Thanasis (Luna's escort from Amorgos) learns the entire procedure

Arrival at the Dutch airport and her new dad gives her some treats

Luna, happy in her new home

Valés is Adopted!

Valés

At the end of his treatment.

Valés

when he came at AZI’s center

Valés

At the port of Katapola, waiting for the boat to Piraius.

Valés

Paola escorts him to his new family

Valés

At his new home, exploring everything

Valés

At his new home, with his new dad Cesare

Valés!

Have a happy and healthy life, little Valés!

Valés arrived at AZI's center 4 months ago, when he was only 2 months old. He was in very bad shape, suffering from a serious respiratory disease. He was treated and quickly recovered. Valés was then put up for adoption and...On August 30th he traveled from Amorgos to Piraeus, and the following day from Athens to Milan, and then to Venice where he met his new family. He now lives with a dog who adores him and 3 other cats. One of the cats is very excited to have him around, one prefers to ignore him while the third positively hates him. As you can see Valés is quite happy with his new family (humans included: Cesare and Emanuela). Have a happy and healthy life, little Valés!

Photos from our trip to Amorgos, Summer 2014

AZI's Center held an Open House reception at on August 28th. Wine and pizza were served. Sweets were donated by Yanni's pastry shop. Thank you to all who attended! From the left: Mrs Anastasia Voulgaridi, Litsa Passari, Mrs Lily Clevede, Jackie, Mr Lawrence Bianco, and a friend. Anastasia and Lily are our most active volunteers in Aegiali. Larry and his friend Jackie are supporters from New York who came to Amorgos for a visit in August.

 Open House reception

Mrs Irene Giannakou and her husband Mr Simos Giannakos are the owners of the building where AZI's center is located in Pera Rachidi. They live in Chora of Amorgos. They also feed some cats in the area.

Mrs Irene Giannakou & Mr Simos Giannakos

Our former rescue dog Sara with her new owner Angeliki Courti at her jewelry shop in Chora. 

Sara and Angeliki are always together. You can find them at her shop, on the beach, even at a bar getting a drink!

Litsa (AZI coordinator, right) with Ms Kaliovi Giannakopoulou and her mother Mr Irene Giannakopoulou and in their spa in Aegiali. Theirs is the largest and most luxurious hotel in Amorgos. We are so pleased that they are supporters of AZI.

Rainbow on the Blue Ferry, on the way home.

Lia and Nia

Our newest arrivals are tiny kittens named Nia and Lia. They were rescued by our former assistant Giota in Aegiali. They are about 3 weeks old, they have incredible appetite for food, and they play a lot. They have just started to eat by themselves but they still need the baby bottle for supplemental nutrition and special care. They are absolutely adorable! When they reach the appropriate age, they will be put up for adoption. Contact us if you are interested!

Angie, a kitten with a hernia

This little kitten was recently diagnosed with a hiatal hernia. She is too young for the surgery, but when she is older it will be completed and she will be available for adoption after that. Angie is an active and playful kitten who has no idea that she has a problem. Please help us help Angie by making a donation today. Another way to help is to sponsor her (or another animal) with monthly payments to support her food and medicine. Thank you.

A Kitten's story

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Lilian (microchip #941000016719370) was found on the side of the road in Langada-Aegiali, skinny and sick, and with no appetite. We immediately started her on a treatment and in two days she began to eat with gusto. Now she is a healthy kitten full of energy, cute as can be. She is available for adoption; who can resist those adorable eyes? We estimate her age to be about three months old.

Seen in Laganda, Amorgos

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In Langada, located in northeastern Amorgos, we came across this wonderful drawing!

News from Amorgos

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A friendly cat in our program, coming to visit us at the table, asking for caresses and a little treat.

Angie, another survivor

Angie upon arrival

Being bottle fed

Angie today

Angie (microchip #941000016719364) is a tiny female kitten, just 1 month old. She was found crying in the street with her brothers when she was only 2 or 3 weeks old. Her mother had disappeared and the kittens were seriously malnourished and in danger. Luckily a kind-hearted girl took them in started to feed them with a syringe. Unfortunately Angie's brothers were too weak and did not survive. The girl brought Angie to us where we continue to give her intensive care. Angie is now beginning to eat on her own and is growing into a very calm, quiet and playful kitten. The best news is that Angie is available for adoption! Please help us find this sweet survivor a loving home.

Help AZI by Shopping on Amazon!

We want to share with you an easy way you can help: Amazon.com has launched a new service called AmazonSmile, where you choose a charity and Amazon will donate 0.5% of all your purchases. Go to http://smile.amazon.com and search for Animal Zone International. Shop to your heart's content and AZI will receive a donation at no cost to you! We thank you for your support.

News from AZI's Equine Shelter

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Daisy takes a drink

Last month an automatically-filling water fountain was installed in the equine shelter. What a wonderful device! As we now host six animals in the equine shelter, having water available for them is a top priority, especially in the summer.

Sara is Adopted!

Little Sara has been adopted by a woman who comes to Amorgos from Athens every summer to work in a jewelry shop in Chora. She and Sara bonded right away and now they are never apart. We are so happy that they have become fast friends, and that Sara has found a loving new home.

New arrivals

Every year around this time the kittens start to come in. Seven have been brought to us, and three are being fostered in Aegiali. Read more about them here, and if you can, please make a contribution or sponsor an animal today. Thank you!

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Puppy for adoption

Sara arrived earlier this month, when we received a call from the Mayor about a puppy. A frightened puppy appeared at the school in Chora, so the teacher called the Mayor for help, and the Mayor called us to see if the center could take the puppy. We said yes, so the Mayor himself brought the puppy to our center. The puppy, which the schoolchildren named Sara, is a miniature of Lisa. We guess she is 3 or 4 months old, and it turns out she is a very smart and funny dog. When she arrived, her fur was full of fleas and ticks and she was shaking her ears as if something was bothering her, but she was otherwise in good health. Dr. Despoti gave her a check-up and to check if she has microchip or not.

We have looked for her owner, but no one has come forward. Now that it’s been several weeks, it appears she has been either lost or abandoned, so Sara is available for adoption.

She is currently living in the center and she has become best friends with Liza. We hope to find this very sweet dog a loving home soon.

Two kittens available for adoption

Two new arrivals will soon be available for adoption. Click on the image below to look at Vales and Rigas, adorable kittens waiting for their new home.

Daisy in Holland

Daisy is a purebred pointer, about 6 years old, who was owned by a hunter. Because she hated the sound of the gun, she made a terrible hunting dog so he didn’t want her anymore. In April 2014 traveled to Holland to join her new adopted family. There are 4 other pointers in her new family, so Daisy fits right in. We are so happy that she now has a family to call her own!

GAWF Returns

The Greek Animal Welfare Fund/Animal Action Greece equine team will return to Amorgos on June 9 & 10, 2014. The team, invited and partly sponsored by AZI, consists of a veterinarian and a farrier who will offer their services for working animals (the donkeys, horses, mules) of the residents for free.

On June 9th, they will be in Kat Meria and Katapola. On June 10th, they will be working in Aegiali and Chora. Last year they treated 48 animals in total. We hope this year will be as great a success!

GAWF poster for June 2014

A Mother and Baby Arrives

One recent morning Litsa, AZI's coordinator in Amorgos, received a call from a woman about a young cat and her kitten. The mother-cat is not more than a kitten herself at 7 months old and she did not know how to care for her kitten. She gave birth in a hen house where the ground was dirty and cold and where the kitten was at risk of being stepped on. The woman noticed this and tried to move the kitten and his mom to a warm nest many times, but the mother kept moving him back to the hen house. Also the mother cat left the baby alone for long periods of time during the day and he was not getting enough milk, so we brought the baby and his mother to the center. We will keep the mother and kitten together in a crate for a few days so that the kitten will have a chance to nurse and grow strong. Then, we will move them to the office to give her a rest and where Litsa will keep an eye on them. When they first arrived, the poor kitten was so hungry and cold he purred so loudly when he finally had his mother close by, giving him warmth and nourishment.

We named them Bonnie (the mother) and Clyde (the baby). Once the little one has been weaned and the mom has been spayed, they will be released back to the area from where they came.

UPDATE: July 3, 2014--Mom Bonnie and baby Clyde were released today. After being at the center for about a month, baby Clyde has grown up and learned how to eat by himself. Both were given treatments for fleas, ticks and worms, and Bonnie was vaccinated (Clyde is still too young). They were returned to their home area, which is a big garden outside the village, full of trees, and safe from cars or poison. We'll miss them but wish them well.

Update on Bobby Marley

Bobby Marley and 14 other dogs were found badly neglected in Katapola, crowded in a dirty room. The Philozoiki was called by the local council to help. Bob Marley (now Bobley) was adopted in Belgium in November 2011 and enjoys his new life in the countryside with six dogs and two horses. Bobley’s owner wrote two books in which Bobley and local volunteer Lamia play an important role, and a third book is in the works.