As part of our Greek America Corps summer 2020 volunteer programs, we are leading a group of volunteers to serve on Karpathos and Kasos, two of the most remote islands in the Aegean.
Both of these islands are plagued by a persistent animal welfare problem due to overpopulation, lack of a well-designed veterinary care program for stray animals — and lack of education on the part of the local population.
Karpathos has an estimated 1,000 stray animals on the island that are often subject to neglect, or even abuse. The situation is exacerbated during the winter months when restaurants and hotels close for the season.
The island’s Mayor, Yiannis Nisirios, embraced our program from its inception. With the municipality’s support, our 12 volunteers from the Greek America Foundation, led by two licensed veterinarians who specialize in high-volume spay and neuter surgeries, will visit the island to help stem the overpopulation problem.
Sponsor a volunteer for $3,500 and receive recognition on our website.
Our volunteers will study Karpathos’ current situation and will devise and implement a viable strategy to provide long-term wellness for the island’s strays. This may include feeding stations, a public awareness campaign and engagement with the local community.
Our program will consist of a series of high-volume spay and neuter expeditions, following international best-practice protocols. These campaigns will be carried out by three volunteer teams daily, each with its own task, including the humane trapping of animals from their natural habitats, surgery preparation, microchipping, surgery and post-surgery recovery. Finally, animals will be returned to their original habitats.
Donate $1,000 to fund a surgery and microchip — and name one of the stray animals with a name of your choice.
The volunteer team will be led by Dr. Anna Katogiritis, a Greek-American veterinarian from Karpathos, Greece. Anna has obtained her veterinary degree in the United States and has participated in other international animal welfare campaigns.
Working under professional and experienced mentors, participants will have the opportunity to be a part of each team, essentially involving them in every step of this method and gaining valuable knowledge and expertise. Our goal is to conduct a total of 25 surgeries per day, with 500 over the entire program, effectively helping curtail the overpopulation of stray dogs and cats.
The aforementioned model will be replicated during a four-day trip to the neighboring island of Kasos, similarly afflicted by overpopulation and lack of veterinary care. That island’s Mayor, Mr. Michalis Erotokritos, has also agreed to support our program enthusiastically.
Central to Greek America Corps mission, we will incorporate a number of cultural and recreational programs during free time and on weekends, including excursions to the island’s villages, so our participants can be introduced to Greek culture and traditions.
True to our mission, this volunteer program of Greek America Corps will leave participants with a worthwhile and transformational experience, knowing that they have had an indelible impact on an entire Greek island’s animal, as well as human, population.