Ivan

Ivan lived alone for what must be about ten years of a very difficult life. His job was to keep his owner’s sheep from crossing the road. Indeed, Ivan was forced to be a kind of living fence.

Uncared for and underfed in order to keep him agitated and barking, Ivan’s lonely life was controlled by a man who had many times been accused of animal abuse.

For years, we at Animal Zone International did our best to rescue the animals who were kept in these miserable conditions but we were never able to successfully and legally remove them.

That is, until, finally, a responsible prosecutor who honors her role and her position in the community gave us the right to begin the rescue process.

In December 2019, Ivan was legally, but temporarily, delivered to the care of AZI by order of the prosecutor of the Naxos Court of First Instance. Eventually, the prosecutor was able to link old allegations of animal abuse to Ivan’s owner and issued a new order which allowed Ivan to be permanently in the care of AZI.

His owner may never again legally own another pet and we see this as a justification for the long struggle to save the many abused dogs who suffered and died in his care.

And now, for our dear Ivan, we hope that he will find a loving home to make up for those long unhappy years.

Introducing Frideriki

A few days ago, we welcomed a new donkey to our shelter. Her name is Frideriki and she is 30 years old. Her owner left Amorgos permanently due to health problems and unfortunately he won't be coming back. So Frideriki needed a new home. The only solution for her was to come to our shelter since, due to her advanced age, she can no longer work.

Welcome to our shelter sweet Frideriki!

A Visit from the Veterinarian

We have now completed the winter sterilization program in Amorgos and we want to thank Dr. Andrianna Alexandropoulou for coming to our center to conduct the spaying and neutering of so many of our island strays.

Additionally, Dr. Alexandropoulou performed annual vaccinations on many of the dogs and cats owned by members of our island community. Microchips were implanted, a beautiful rabbit came for a checkup and a number of stray cats with health problems were examined and will now remain in our Center for treatment.

We were fortunate to finally capture a feral cat from Chora who had been suffering for over a year with a rope that he had managed to wrap around his throat. The veterinarian removed the rope, cleaned the wound, gave the cat antibiotics, spayed him and now he is back in his home area with a new lease on life.

Thank you Dr. Andrianna!!!!

Winter Program

Our winter spay/neuter program took place over a three day period in February, and, with the help and dedication of Dr. Adriana Alexandropoulou, we managed to sterilize sixty-seven stray cats.

Thirty-one males and thirty-six females came to us from the areas of Katapola, Chora, Vroutsi, Arkesini (Kato Meria) and Aegiali. All of the cats are in good health and after a recovery period they have been released back into their native areas. One female kitten from Katapola is still with us at our Center due to a few problems that we wanted to clear up before she will be released back into her home area.

We want to thank our amazing vet, Dr. Adriana Alexandropoulou, who worked from morning to night with dedication and goodwill. We thank also the Municipality of Amorgos who covered the expenses for medical supplies and offered a van and driver, Konstantinos Grispos, to transport cats from the Aegiali area to and from our Center.

We also want to thank our amazing volunteers who worked hard in order to help collect and transport the cats as well as to assist at the clinic during the surgeries. We thank as well the awesome Dr. Manos Vorisis and his team “Aegean cats, we live together” for sending extra surgical tools.

We are grateful to all of those who helped us—without you we could never have accomplished this important work. And, good news! We have renewed our appointment for November.

THISEAS

Thiseas came to our shelter on a cold day in December of 2013. A kind supporter of AZI found Thiseas on the nearby island of Koufonisi, an old donkey in poor condition whose owner no longer wanted him. Since then, Thiseas has lived a happy and relaxed life in our shelter. He has been an active and playful little man, over forty years of age, but in this last year he has lost his appetite for food and life. Thiseas has died but we are comforted in the knowledge that his last years, after all of those years of hard work, were filled with safety and affection from all of us at the Center and from all of those children and visitors who were happy to give him a caress.

Achilleas found his forever home

Achilleas, our beloved equine, traveled from Amorgos to Athens on the 17th of December. The next day he went from Athens to Thessaloniki and specifically to the equestrian Center of Macedonia. Giannis Brastianos, our farrier and his family, have offered Achilleas the safety and warmth of a loving home. 

Besides Giannis and his family, who have always supported our organization, we want also to thank Beatrice Rock who first rescued Achilleas and was taking care of him during the months that she was in Amorgos, and, who supported us financially in order to be able to take care him once she returned home. We want to thank also Lea Voegeli for her help in Achilleas transportation since her help and advice are always precious for us here on the island.

Let us say a few words about how and why Achilleas ended up in the shelter of Animal Zone International. Animals are not toys to be enjoyed and discarded once we become bored with them. We want to beg anyone who is thinking of taking a large animal as a pet to seriously think about the care that must be taken for a lifetime, and, for a horse that can be up to 35 years. Achilleas was rescued from a sad and unhappy environment by a wonderful Italian woman who spends a few months on our island and who, when it was time for her to return home, helped fund the care for Achilleas in our center. The cost is great, both in money and in time, and, we hope that everyone will approach the care for their animals, whether large or small, with care and love.

Autumn 2019 sterilization program

Our autumn sterilization program took place in November and was a great success. We had hoped to sterilize 100 stray cats but, with the help and dedication of Dr. Andriana Alexandropoulou, we surpassed that goal and sent 121 boys and girls back into the world to live healthy lives without adding to the homeless feline population of our island. 

These cats had come to us from the villages of Amorgos, the areas of Katapola, Kastelopetra, Chora, Skeparnies (Kato Meria) and Aegiali.

All of the cats are in good health and after a recovery period they have all been released back into their native areas. Two kittens, one male and one female, are still with us at our Center due to a few problems that we wanted to clear up before they will be released back into their home areas. 

We want to thank our amazing vet, Dr. Adriana Alexandropoulou, who worked from morning to night with dedication and good spirit and who left us as well with advice for all the sick and wounded cats that we will continue to receive at our center.

 A big vote of thanks goes as well to the Municipality of Amorgos who not only covered the expenses for medical supplies and offered a van and a driver, (Konstantinos Grispos), to transport the cats back and forth from the Aegiali area but also for their continued support. We also thank our amazing volunteers who worked hard in order to collect and transport the cats as well as to assist at the clinic during the surgeries. We thank our donors and especially our president, Paola Mieli, who covered the salary and travel for Dr. Alexandropoulou.

 We thank those who help us to continue this most important work.

Without all of you we would not have made it....

We have renewed our appointment for February!!!

Mata and Marianna, our amazing volunteers who always help in our sterilization programs

Vice Mayor Gostas Grispos, always present when we needed him and Litsa Passari, local program coordinator

Dr. Anna Alexandropoulou

Dr. Anna Alexandropoulou

Beatrice Rock, active volunteer and supporter of AZI

Chariklia Psaki, active volunteer and vet assistant

Anna and her daughter Melina, active volunteers always present in our programs

The miracle of Melenia

Melenia, a tiny kitten of only 500 grams, came to our Center after having been hit by a car. We immediately began a program of intensive care and slowly Melenia began to show improvement.  We fed her by syringe every three hours, kept her warm and filled with antibiotics and dedicated ourselves to keeping this small girl alive.  

The road to recovery was long and difficult but Melenia is a warrior and learned to walk again, in spite of a weakness in one of her legs and in spite of the fact that she has been left without the ability to see. 

This tiny girl is a happy and lively kitten, playful and filled with affection. Her good spirits and happy ways are amazing to see given all of the great trials that she has endured.  

We hope and pray that Melenia will find a loving home in which to live a long and happy life.

THE REEL THING - A Benefit for the Animals of Amorgos

Animal Zone International presents

THE REEL THING
Animals, Sounds and Silent Movies

A Benefit for the Animals of Amorgos

Thursday, Dec. 5th
at 6:30 pm

CASA ITALIANA ZERILLI MARIMÒ of NYU
24 W 12th St, New York, NY 10011

SOUNDS & SILENTS

Vintage comedies, classic cartoons, experimental films and contemporary art video
with

LIVE PIANO MUSIC

by 
Jed Distler, Mark Kostabi, Robert Petrick, Steve Sandberg, Rob Schwimmer, and Kathleen Supové

plus

Ayurvedic Food Creations 
by Divya’s Kitchen
and
Wine Selections 
by Grapevine Collective

Join us to support the mission of Animal Zone International, a unique animal care center on the island of Amorgos. Our efforts include vaccinating and managing the cat and dog population on the island, caring for injured and sick animals, rescuing abused equines, as well as school visits on the island.

Tickets: $200 per person ($170 of which is tax-deductible)
For details and tickets, visit www.azi2019.eventbrite.com
Refreshments will be served

Achilleas, the handsome boy

Achilleas arrived at our Center in July with an eye infection so serious that he had lost most of his vision. We immediately began a treatment of antibiotic drops but the infection had created so much damage that our vet decided that a preventive surgical removal was called for.

Dear Achilleas was sent to Naxos where his left eye was removed and where he was also neutered. After only two days Achilleas was again an active and playful boy and he has grown into a handsome and charming fellow.

Because Achilleas can only see shadows, he is unable to live on the streets, which meant that it was crucial to find him a loving home. And now the miracle has happened and our volunteer, Pascal, who has fallen in love with Achilleas, has decided to adopt him, and he will travel soon to his new mum in Switzerland.

DIALOGUES: Cruelty towards Animals

Animal Zone's director in Greece Pepi Gavala was invited by Stavros Niarchos Foundation to the DIALOGUES event on Wednesday, October 30, 2019 . The topic was CRUELTY towards animals. Cases of animal cruelty and abandonment, organized crime, illegal activities, and how abusive behaviors are ultimately a reflection of our society were the main topics of discussion at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation’s (SNF) October DIALOGUES.

Mrs. Gavala participated in the discussion and presented our work in Amorgos, mentioning the particularities of small communities and the way we try to fight animal abuse on the island. “The horrible living conditions of animals are a huge disgrace that affects tourism. In recent years, incidents become known instantly everywhere via social media. But the particularities of small, close-knit communities make it hard to file official complaints.”

Animal Zone International would like to thank Stavros Niarchos Foundation and the journalist Mrs. Anna-Kynthia Bousdoukou for the invitation and the opportunity we had to present the problems of Amorgos and the efforts of our organization that are already making a difference on the island.

Photo credits: Marilena Katsini

https://www.snf.org/en/initiatives/snf-dialogues/dialogues-animal-welfare-october-2019/

Photo credit: Marilena Katsini

Photo credit: Marilena Katsini

Frou Frou

On the fourth of May, a tiny kitten came to our Center from the region of Aegiali. She was only one month old and she was very frail and wobbly, having been taken away from her mother and abandoned.

The kind Samaritan who rescued her did his best to help but this young kitten was in need of expert care and so he brought her to AZI’s Center.

We named her Frou Frou and with intensive care and proper nutrition she began slowly to improve. After that we began to search for a home for her and Vassiliki responded.

She brought Frou Frou home to be a companion to the sweet dog that Vassiliki had also adopted from our shelter and now these two lucky members of the animal kingdom are in love with one another and keep one another company while Vassiliki is at work. We believe that Frou Frou has found her forever home and we are grateful and thankful to all the kind humans who have intervened in her young life.

The Danger of Empty Cans

Please beware! Discarded cans from pet food pose a deadly threat for stray animals. For this reason we must always compress them before they are discarded.

Some days ago we were called to help a cat with his head trapped in an empty tin. The woman who found him struggling did her best to free him but was not successful. Understandably, the cat was in serious distress and so she contacted us.

The poor cat was exhausted and starved for oxygen. He was extremely fortunate to have been freed from the can and has now returned to his normal life, hunting for food and water. But please keep in mind that an empty can is just another danger in the life of these vulnerable creatures. So please do what you can to prevent this in the future!

A Wine Tasting

Enjoy a night of exquisite Italian wines benefiting Amorgos

Italy cultivates roughly 2,000 native grape varieties. Award-winning wine journalist Lisa Denning and Italian wine specialist Marco Salerno will introduce the concept of native grapes and highlight varieties that are under the radar for the general public but are being talked about excitedly within insider Italian wine communities.

Featured wines:

—Abisso Cataratto (2017) from Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily
—Crivelli, Grignolino (2017) from Monferrato, Piedmont
—Raina, Umbria Rosso della Gobba (2015) from Montefalco, Umbria

The presentation will explore the grapes' connection with the history and culture of the respective regions.

Join us to support the mission of AZI, a unique animal care center on the island of Amorgos. Our efforts include vaccinating and managing the cat population on the island, caring for many injured and sick animals, rescuing abused dogs and equines, and school visits on the island.

Wednesday, June 19th at 6:30 pm

Robert Simon Fine Art, 22 E 80th Street, New York, NY 10075

Buy your ticket now at azi-wine.eventbrite.com

If you prefer to pay by check, please send to Animal Zone International, PO Box 1039, Cooper Station, New York, NY 10003.

A portion of the ticket price is tax deductible.
Donations are 100% tax deductible.

Looking for a loving home

Achileas is looking for a good home. He is a gelding and about 14 years old. He came to us about 6 months ago because the teenager who bought him realized he couldn't take care him properly.

Achileas has a wonderful, amazing character. He is very friendly, social, and calm. He coexists well with other animals and is overall an ideal horse.

Our shelter is not an appropriate place for a big, young healthy horse like Achileas so we are searching for a more suitable place for him to go. Because of his gentle and sweet nature he will be good company for someone who needs a friend.

Here are 2 short videos with Achileas: 

Visit from the Veterinarian

The great Doctor Andrianna Alexandropouloucame to our Center in order to carry out our annual spring sterilization program. Many of our island strays were spayed and neutered as well as many of the animals owned by members of our island community and examinations and vaccines were provided as well. The cats came from all the villages of Amorgos—the areas of Katapola, Kastelopetra, Chora, Saint George Valsamitis, Kato Meria and Aegiali.

Doctor Alexandropoulou was sent to us by the Amorgosvia Aegean Cats along with Doctor Manolis Vorissis and together they have begun a vital program for the care of the enormous stray population in these Cyclades Islands.

We would like to thank the Municipality of Amorgos who covered the expenses for the medical supplies as well as the salary of the vet and host the vet during this time. We thank also the Vice Mayor Mrs Anna Gavala for their continued help in our project.

We also want to thank all of our donors who help us continue this most important work and of course our amazing volunteers Hariklia, Mata, Anna, Giorgos, Evangelia, Iannis and Angeliki as well as the local residents for their important help.

We have renewed our appointment for the autumn!!!

Thank you, once again, Andrianna, Manolis and Aegean Cats—we live together with love and generosity.

Thank You Perfect Pet!

We want to warmly thank Perfect Pet (http://www.perfectpet.gr/) for their donation of cat food.

Perfect Pet responded directly to our request for cat food by sending us a large quantity of food that fulfills our immediate needs to feed hungry stray cats.

During this difficult time in Greece, one of the main challenges faced by animal welfare associations like ours is supporting and feeding the huge number of stray cats under our care. The tremendous generosity of Perfect Pet is an example to be imitated!

From all of us in New York and Amorgos, a huge thanks to Perfect Pet!!!

When Liza Met Sissy

These two lovely girls spent one year together in our Center in Amorgos. But then Liza was adopted into a wonderful home in Holland and Sissy was adopted into another wonderful home in Holland and the best friends were separated.

After a few months their wonderful mothers gave Liza and Sissy the gift of a playdate and the girls were so happy to spend time together.

We miss these beautiful girls but know that they are enjoying a loving and happy life in their new country. We want to thank Linda and Henriette—the most wonderful moms who are raising our girls with love and kindness.

Sara

In mid January, Sara came to our Center with a serious respiratory infection as well as with a number of other problems. This small kitten had been living in the garden of a kind woman who tried to help her but when the problems grew too serious she came to us for help Sara.

For twenty one days we cared for Sara and treated her many problems. Now, She is a playful kitten and has gained enough weight to go back to her garden where she will be cared for with kindness.

We have donated a special food for kittens (Royal Canin Kitten) and we hope and pray that Sara will remain healthy and grow strong so that she will be able to survive the hard winter seasons that are so difficult for our island cats and kittens.

MICHOS

A tiny kitten in great distress was rescued by Anna, our Volunteer in Chora, and brought to us at the Center in January.

Michos was frail and thin and suffered from many of the problems that cats born on the street are prone to, so many in fact, that we were not sure that we could save him. But Michos, this small miraculous fellow, not only survived but thrived and he has now fully recovered and is ready for adoption.

In March we will neuter Michos and we hope and pray that he will be adopted so that we do not have to return him to the place where he was found.

He is a sweet, sweet boy and clearly has great strength since he managed to come through a storm of neglect. Now, we hope that his sweetness and strength will find a loving home.

Please contact us if you are interested in welcoming into your family!