R.I.P. Balomataki

Many years ago — perhaps ten or even more — a beautiful tomcat lived in a lush and blessed place: the Monastery of Saint George Valsamitis on the island of Amorgos. There was a kind-hearted nun there who cared for the monastery cats as if they were her own children.

One day, she noticed that the cat had a problem with his mouth and called a veterinarian to help him. It turned out that his upper palate had been torn, most likely due to an accident. The tear was surgically stitched, but the next day half of the stitches came undone. The cat was operated on again, and this time fewer stitches failed. This happened two more times until the veterinarians finally said there was nothing more they could do.

The cat would forever have a tiny hole — almost the size of a pinhead — in the roof of his mouth. This caused him to sneeze while eating, as small amounts of food would pass from his mouth into his nose. Aside from that, however, he was perfectly fine.

That was when the nun gave him the name “Balomataki,” which means “Little Patch,” because of all the “patchwork” his mouth had required.

The years passed. The kind nun left from Amorgos, and at some point — no one knows how — Balomataki ended up living as a stray on the streets of Chora. He survived there for several years without major problems, but he was growing older, and life on the streets was becoming increasingly difficult.

Last summer, a compassionate young woman noticed that he had lost a lot of weight and had become very dirty. He was no longer grooming himself, a clear sign that he was not well. That was when she brought him to our Center.

Sadly, the hole in his palate had widened even more, and surgery was no longer possible. But Balomataki still wanted to live. He simply could not continue surviving on the streets in that condition. So we decided to keep him with us at our Center for whatever time he had left.

Balomataki spent his final months surrounded by love, care, warm baths from our volunteers, and endless affection. Then one day, his back legs failed him. The following day, he could no longer move his front legs either. He had become completely paralyzed.

And then it was finally time for him to rest. His little soul flew away to a world without pain, and now he runs free across the rainbow bridge.

Rest in peace, Balomataki.

We miss you dearly.

Alex — A little fighter

He was only a few hours old when his mother carried away his siblings and left him all alone on the freezing floor of a veranda. All night long, the tiny baby cried, calling for her to come back… but in vain. She never returned.

Thankfully, the residents of the house rushed to help him. They made him a tiny little nest inside a food container — that’s how small he was. They didn’t want him to freeze, but they also hoped to give him a chance to be reunited with his family if his mother came back for him.

But when the sun rose the next morning, he was still there: alone, cold, and hungry. That was when they called us for help. He was so tiny that raising him required experience and constant care.

And yet, within just a few hours, he had already stolen their hearts. They asked to adopt him as soon as he was old enough to feed himself. For now, he is growing up with Litsa. He is strong, full of appetite for life… and, of course, for food! And we all hope that this little fighter will make it and triumph.

Everyone, meet Alex from Rahidi, Katapola, Amorgos.

June Benefit 2026

Join us for a

Benefit Evening for Animal Zone International

Giullari di Piazza

performing

Tarantella Spider Dance

Southern Italian healing music & dances

Alessandra Belloni, artistic director, vocals & percussion

John La Barbera, music director, guitar, mandolin, chitarra battente

Thursday, June 18 at 7 pm

School of Visual Arts, 214 East 21st Street, New York, NY

Tickets: $150 ($115 tax deductible)
Light refreshments and wine will be served

Have the chance to win amazing prizes at our benefit raffle!

We will be raffling fabulous items during the benefit. Buy more raffle tickets to increase your chance to win! Raffle tickets will also be available to purchase at the event.

Grand Prize: A photo of Deerline, 2005 (24”x20”) by Robin Schwartz — click for more info

The life-changing impact of AZI's programs

Another dramatic story that shows the life-changing impact of our spay/neuter programs for stray cats.

She came to our sterilization program to be spayed, but what we discovered on her ears was an immediate threat to her life. Sadly, the hot Greek sun can be extremely dangerous for light-colored stray cats. Both of Fenia’s ears — as we named her — had developed cancer and had to be surgically removed before the disease could spread further.

The sun burns the light-colored ears, causing the skin to dry out. Then wounds begin to form, and if they are left untreated and continue to be “cooked” under the relentless sun, they can eventually turn cancerous.

Fenia was one of the lucky ones. Because she was trapped and brought in for sterilization, she was also able to receive the life-saving treatment she desperately needed. Her ears were removed, her spay surgery was completed, and she stayed at our Center for a month so she could recover and regain her strength.

Afterwards, healthy and strong once again, Fenia returned to her neighborhood in Lagada, Amorgos, where we hope she will live many more happy years. 

Our ability to help her and the many like her depends on the help of the community at large, including you! Please think of Fenia—and donate here: https://givebutter.com/DeRrpm

She thanks you for the second chance at life she has received!

Max the smiling dog

Max no longer remembered what it felt like to run free. The last years of his life were spent tied up, in a garden that had grown silent—empty of voices, laughter, and the people he once loved. His family moved away and left him behind, as if he were something that no longer fit into their new life.

Someone would come by each day. They left him food and water. Nothing more. No gentle touch, no kind word. Max waited. He waited every day, every night. He waited, hoping he might see again the faces that once meant everything to him. But no one ever came back.

More than a year passed like this. Chained. Forgotten. Without a single walk, without a moment of freedom.

By the time his story reached us, a complaint had already been filed. The authorities came, inspected the conditions, issued a fine, and left. But for Max, nothing changed. His owner showed up only because he had to—and when he left, he abandoned him once again. This time, he locked him inside a chicken coop.

That was when we said: “Enough is enough.”

We asked for Max to be handed over to us. And when we finally met him, we expected to see a dog who was scared, bitter, and angry at the world.

Instead, we saw a smile.

Max looked at us with eyes full of love. His tail wagged hesitantly, as if asking whether he was still allowed to hope. He came closer and gently leaned into us, asking for just one thing: a little affection.

And that was all.

On walks, he is wonderful. He doesn’t pull, he doesn’t rush. He walks calmly, as if savoring every step that had once been denied to him. With other dogs, he is social, peaceful, and always eager to play—always with that sweet, disarming smile.

Max didn’t hold on to anger. He didn’t let his past harden his heart.

He chose to love.

And maybe that’s what makes him so special. Because through everything he has been through, he reminds us of something simple, yet profound:

That even after abandonment, the heart can still find a way to smile again.

Max is 7 years old and available for adoption.

In Memory of Our Beloved Juliette

Juliette was not simply an animal lover, she was a soul full of kindness, sensitivity and selfless love. A woman who saw the world through her heart and extended her hand wherever there was need, without hesitation.

She dedicated her life to caring, for both people and animals, leaving behind a legacy of deep humanity. To her, every living being deserved a chance, a warm embrace, a loving home. And she gave that chance to dozens of animals who, thanks to her, came to know love and safety. Dozens of animals from Amorgos, Athens, and beyond found warm homes thanks to her.

The void she leaves behind will never be filled, yet her memory lives on in every life she touched, in every wagging tail, in every grateful gaze.

Juliette will always be remembered as a woman who gave without asking, who loved without conditions, and who made the world a little brighter.

May she rest in peace. Her kindness will continue to live on through the love and compassion she shared.