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OCTOBER 2007
Symi Vet Week 2007 had truly an international feel with volunteers from Austria, Norway, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, USA, Greece and the UK. So many languages and so many skills, all working together to ensure that yet another successful vet week on Symi happened and, indeed it did!
Over 7 days, no less than 124 domestic animals were seen by one of the volunteer vets.
We had received numerous emails regarding certain very sick cats and I am delighted to report that they were all located and taken to the surgery - our dear old friend, Lakis the dog, is getting on now. Over the summer months, he hasn't looked too well, but has enjoyed a few treats from tourists and swims at Nos beach. It was decided not to even try to get him up to the surgery as this would have been too distressing for the old-boy. However, Martin did take the time to give him a good check-over. He has rheumatism, not surprising at his time of life and most of his remaining teeth aren't good, he has also developed a skin allergy. Medication for both his allergy and relief from his aches and pains have already been administered.
Lots of visitors had been very upset about the poor white cat in Pedi. Her condition was dire so she was a priority. She is at peace at last and will suffer no more.
Another small kitten which had been bitten by a snake was also put to sleep, the vet decided that her central nervous system was too badly affected.
30 domestic animals were examined and/or vaccinated + 87 cats and 3 dogs neutered
2 cats had minor surgery
None of this would have been possible without the support of so many people, especially all of those who donated money throughout vet week and the course of the year. We would also like to thank -
Martin Bilson and Marta Rostagano, our 2 wonderful vets who worked tirelessly and compassionately
Marta Rostagano for allowing us to use the ground floor of her Symi home as a surgery
My Travel UK for sponsoring Martin's flights and transfers
Symi Visitor for providing Martin's accommodation + extras required in the surgery
2 vets on Rhodes for supplying replacement cat boxes and a dog-box at a discount price
Everyone who provided lunches for surgery volunteers
I would like to offer my personal thanks to each committee member, who have all worked so hard since our formation, but particularly over the last few weeks to get Vet Week 2007 on the road! We are delighted that 3 local Greek friends will be joining our team after their involvement during the vet visit.
TOVE'S ACCOUNT
Symi Animal Welfare
Vet week on Symi October 5-12
Stefanos House, Maurovouni
A day in the Vet Week – a small report
In the October edition of the Symi Visitor you were all told how the week should pass, and now
I just want to tell you all about how a “normal” day in the vet week went.
The phone used to wake me at 6 am, and I sleepily went up to this morning’s 6 cats expecting their breakfast. Got breakfast myself, showered until I was a little more awake and went off for the long walk from upper Chorio to the surgery in Stefanos’s House, Mavrovouni, actually ½ hours on foot.
At 8.30 the drivers began to arrive and collect the cats that had been done the day before. The average was about 15 cats a day in the small bathroom, where they had spent the night, so the smell was tight. We checked the cats, if they were ok and to judge from their sounds they were. The drivers went off and the other volunteers for the day arrived, and we started to set up the surgery for the day – starting the sterilizer, putting the instruments into the kits for each animal, and maybe getting a cup of coffee if there were time.
A short time after the drivers had come back with the boxes to be cleaned, a very fussy job indeed, and new boxes was going out with the drivers to the volunteer catchers in the specific areas. Calls coming in – ther’re no cats here, can we go somewhere else? Or - we haven’t enough boxes, are there more to be delivered and when?
And slowly the drivers brought the cats in, they got labelled, “coming from Pedi, Chorio, Town Square” or wherever they were brought in from, so that they could go back to the right places.
In the meantime we started up with one cat at a time to being transferred to a cross cage that made it possible to give the cat an injection of anaesthetics, and got it weighed for the right dose. When the cat was asleep the vets did the small operations to the Toms and the bigger to the girls. The cats were being checked and given antibiotics against worms, flees and for the wounds and a injection so that they would wake up without remembering what had been done to them. They would be put back into the labelled boxes so that there would not be any misunderstandings as to where they were going next day.
So – next cat – same procedure – the whole day.
In between lots of calls about boxes, places to go, hearing of sick cats in different areas, pet parents’ calls for appointments and changing schedules for different volunteers that also had their normal jobs to take care of.
Lunchtime – kindly sponsored by two kafenions and by private persons – a nice break of about ½ hour and then back to work.
At the end of the day around 5.30 a cup of coffee and a talk about the different animals coming in.
The main talk was about how much the animal situation has changed during the last 5 years. We are not seeing really bad looking cats any more, most of them are in good health and well fed, and its becoming difficult to find too many cats around; when you are catching in an area you often get marked cats in the boxes that you have to release again.
This year we only had to put 2 cats to sleep, one with a bad cancer at the ears and one that came out to have been bitten by a snake.
At the end of the day the surgery has to be cleaned properly, the cats has to be seen to and in the evening the vet will check if the cats are ok. They will sleep covered overnight and the whole thing will start over again next morning.
During the week we did neuter 44 female cats and 43 males, put 2 cats to sleep, made a wound suture at 1 and removed the outer ears because of cancer of 1. 2 female dogs were neutered and 1 male, there were 20 general examinations of pets and 10 vaccinations. And all that made by 2 vets and around 30 volunteers that we will thank very much for the great work they have done through the whole week. They have used a lot of their spare time and some had used their holidays helping the animals of Symi. They have been walking up and down the steps, driving, catching, helping in the surgery, putting up posters and talking to local people about what was going on. I think this year we have got a lot more understanding of what we are doing. I have in fact just met smiling people who were really interested in what we were doing. So I will too give a lot of thanks to the Symian people who are now feeding the animals all year. My hopes are that in time we are needed no more for strays and may just handle pet animals.
Last but not least we have received donations from the pet parents and other friends of Symi Animal Welfare, to whom we are most grateful because this could help us in the further work for the animals on Symi.
Tove Kolle, Vet Week Co-ordinator.
SEPTEMBER 2007
It has been a long, hot summer throughout Greece and most of us have been 'suffering' from extreme temperatures, least of all the animals of Symi! Those who are fortunate enough to have an owner will no doubt, have received plenty of water to drink and shade to snooze under. Some pet dogs enjoy a regular swim in the sea to cool down and several street dogs are known to take themselves off to Nos beach for an early morning dip!
S A W volunteers have been monitoring and watering the most vulnerable animals - pregnant and nursing animals and places where there are communities of cats ( usually around dustbins where there are always summertime scraps of food but rarely anything to drink) Cats can be seen lapping water from leaking pipes and taps, puddles created by hosing down a terrace or balcony, but the most common source seems to be from containers put down to to catch liquid from air-conditioning pipes! Water, or the lack of it, is indeed a major problem in Greece this summer and there will be restrictions for a long time, but may I ask you to consider the animals in your area a little please? An old plastic container, placed in a shady corner outside, will be sought out and greatly appreciated and could even be a life-saver?!
Everything is going to plan for the Vets' visit in October, this year there will be two - surgery is from 5 - 12 October. We are now drawing up a list of volunteers, but with 2 vets, we may need double the volunteers?! Tove, who will be organising the week will be back on Symi from 29September and will be setting out rotas etc within a day or two of her arrrival. Please let one of us know if you would like to volunteer this year - catching, helping in the surgery, driving, general admin and cleaning.....the list is endless!
If you aren't on Symi at that time but would still like to be involved, please make a donation -
1) directly to your holiday company rep
2) by cheque to Hazel Fennelly & Gillian Bennett, Symi Animal Welfare, PO BOX 13, Symi 85600, Dodecanese, Greece
3) you will find collection boxes in various bars and shops etc
Thankyou for your continuing support in helping us look after the street animals of Symi.
Melanie Sharp on behalf of SAW Committee email symielec@otenet.gr
JUNE 2007
New Committee members
I would like to inform all friends of Symi Animal Welfare that we now have an official committee of local people who will run SAW in the future.
As many of you know I am expecting our second child in August so am fairly busy with my home and work commitments. I took over the running of SAW in the winter of 1999 along with Tina Marie Bull. Over the six years that we ran the organisation we feel that we really bought SAW into the forefront of the minds of locals and visitors alike – we have many regular contributors to our cause both financially and on a practical helping level but now it is time to pass over the leadership.
Over the past year Melanie Sharp has headed the SAW team and worked very hard to organise last year’s vet visit and the winter feeding programme.
The new committee consists of:
Melanie Sharp co-ordinating secretary
Jenine Spalding founder member and advisor
Hazel Fennelly treasurer and treatment attendant
Gill Bennett signatory
Claudia Kohlhofer first-aid & treatment dispenser
Tove Kolle Christensen vet week co-ordinator
Barbara Healey winter feeding co-ordinator
They are now busy organising this year’s visit from UK vet, Martin Bilson. He will return late summer and be holding surgery from 5 – 12 October. This year his accommodation will be sponsored by the Symi Visitor, his flight is hopefully to be donated by My Travel (Manos Holiday). In addition, an Italian vet who has a property here on the island will not only donate her house as the surgery but also be here to work alongside Martin.
How can you help?
- If you are not here at the time of the visit we obviously rely on donations to make this visit work. Donations of cat food are greatly appreciated– for the visit we prefer tins of smelly sardines to help lure prospective patients.
- Monetary donations – Symi Animal Welfare must pay for all anaesthetics, suture, antibiotics etc. In addition, for each visit, we need to buy new cat boxes to replace some of the older ones, cleaning materials for the surgery, lunch and refreshments for the workers etc. During the winter we also organise winter feeding for the less fortunate strays which costs a significant amount. Any donations are extremely grateful. To make a donation :
- you will find collection boxes in various bars and shops
- leave a donation with your holiday representative and they can pass it on to us
- send a cheque by post payable to Hazel Fennelly and Gillian Bennett and send to Symi Animal Welfare, PO Box 13, Symi, 85600, GREECE
- donate via the internet by visiting www.symidream.com – you can then send a secure payment using the PAYPAL service either as a one off or monthly donation
If you are on the island please come and talk to any of us who are involved or email Melanie – symielec@otenet.gr and she can give you further information on Symi Animal Welfare’s work.
I thank all of you for giving us your continued support and thank you for helping us look after the strays of Symi.
Jenine Spalding
Symi Animal Welfare
2006 NEWS
Vet week 2006 was again a great success, thanks to the support and efforts of so many people. The surgery was located in a house in the Village (donated for the week by Laskarina Holidays) and as always, Martin Bilson the UK vet worked tirelessly for 7 days. This year, a number of new volunteers joined our team as did several people who were actually on Symi on holiday, such dedication to the welfare of the animals here!
In total 52 female and 36 male cats were neutered
3 female and one male dog were neutered
6 rescue puppies were chipped and vaccinated
12 cats underwent minor surgery
10 dogs were vaccinated and checked over
This year, we introduced a 'Pet Day' and were delighted when so many residents bought their 'loved ones' along for Martin to look at. This idea seemed to work well, so we will include it in future visits.
We would like to thank Marion Ostler of Vetxx Ltd for donating a quantity of pharmaceutical items for ear and eye conditions. A big thankyou goes to all of the volunteers and to Martin Bilson.
Winter Feeding Programme
Food has now been distributed to a group of volunteers, they have agreed to feed stray cats in several areas on the Island. We are coming up to the toughest time of the year when so many cats struggle to survive. This year, 3 supermarkets have kindly donated foodstuffs, this has enabled us to have 11 feeding stations.
If you would like to know more about our work, especially the Vet Week and Winter Feeding Programme, or if you feel that you could help in any way, please contact: jenine@otenet.gr or mail@symi dream.com
THANKYOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT |
SEPTEMBER UK VET VISIT 2004
Symi Animal Welfare is pleased to announce the return of our visiting
UK vet, Martin Bilson. Martin will make his sixth visit to our island
and will hold surgery between Friday 30th September and Thursday
6th October. The main aim of his visit will be to neuter as many
of the stray feline population as possible [in 2004 he neutered
76 cats in one week!]. In addition residents of the island can bring
small animals for a check up or yearly vaccination.
As in past visits, Laskarina Holidays will sponsor the visit in
terms of providing a flight and accommodation for Martin, as well
as providing accommodation to house the surgery. We are truly grateful
for this help, without it the visit would not be possible.
How can you help?
We rely on the help of volunteers during the week’s work in
the following capacities:
Helping to catch the cats in plastic cat cages early in the morning
– it is easier than it sounds! With the help of sardines placed
at the back of the box, curiosity generally leads the cat into the
box and you then SLAM the door!
If you have a car then providing transport to take the cats in their
boxes to the surgery.
Helping in the surgery – whether you would like to come and
help in the surgery itself, make the coffee, help sterilize the
equipment after each operation, run to the supermarket and buy the
lunch or help clean the surgery at the end of each day – there
is always plenty to do.
If you are not here at the time of the visit we obviously rely on
donations to make this visit work. Donations of cat food are greatly
appreciated– for the visit we prefer tins of smelly sardines
to help lure prospective patients.
Monetary donations – Symi Animal Welfare must pay for all
anaesthetics, suture, antibiotics etc. In addition each visit we
need to buy new cat boxes to replace some of the older ones, cleaning
materials for the surgery, lunch and refreshments for the workers
etc. Any donations are extremely grateful. To make a donation :
You will find collection boxes in various bars and shops
Leave a donation with your holiday representative and they can pass
it on to us
Send a cheque by post payable to Jenine Woodhall and Gillian Bennett
and send to Symi Animal Welfare, PO Box 13, Symi, 85600, GREECE
Donate via the internet now - below– you can then send a secure
payment using the PAYPAL service either as a one off or monthly
donation
If you are on the island before the visit please come and see Jenine,
based in the Chorio Laskarina office [opposite Georgio’s Taverna]
and she can give you further information on Symi Animal Welfare’s
work.
We thank all of you for giving us your continued support and thank
you for helping us look after the strays of Symi
Jenine Woodhall
Symi Animal Welfare |
