Last August my husband and I were married during a spectacular sunset in my childhood backyard in Virginia. While we kept the wedding local, we were keen to indulge our wanderlust on our honeymoon. We researched destinations that offered beaches, promised to be hurricane-safe and did not require more than a day of travel to get there. The Greek Islands of Santorini and Folegandros finally won out.
We arrived in Santorini during another spectacular sunset. The sun and sky’s incomparable pink glow illuminated the white stucco buildings of the island. After a brief taxi ride to Thira, we dashed down the steep steps of Hotel Scirocco to find our room right above the pool with a magnificent view of the caldera below. At that moment we felt indescribably lucky.
It was not long into our vacation, however, that I noticed that the hotel was also a temporary home to some unexpected guests. A mother cat and her three kittens made a nightly visit to drink water that collected next to the pool shower. The cats were obviously feral and would skitter away if I tried to approach them. I noticed cat food kibble on the decks of the other guest rooms which indicated that vacationers were feeding the cats. What happens when these tourists go home, I wondered. Throughout our stay on the islands, it was impossible not to notice the presence of roaming cats perched on walls, underneath restaurant tables or dashing in and out of traffic.
Living on an island paradise, the lives of these strays are anything but ideal. They suffer from starvation, festering infections, and injuries that are left unattended. Luckily there are organizations working to make a difference in the lives of these cats and dogs. Greek Animal Welfare Fund, a World Society for the Protection of Animals' partner organization, has several ongoing spay and neuter and responsible ownership campaigns around the country. They also provide nearly 80 local Greek animal protection groups with expertise, equipment and financial help to help humanely reduce the amount of stray and unwanted pets in the country.
Ways you can help too:
Seek out hands-on volunteer opportunities. The travel agency Inside and Out is partnering with Greek Animal Welfare Fund and other to animal welfare groups to organize a volunteer vacation to assist the strays of mainland Greece. To find out more about the trip, visit the organization's website. Not going to Greece? Check out other volunteer vacation opportunities that assist strays on the World Society for the Protection of Animals' Compassionate Travel Web site.
Avoid Malicious Mementos.
As an animal lover it is nearly impossible to pass up an animal-themed souvenir
of a trip. During my honeymoon, I was amazed at the amount of “Greek Island
Cat” calendars that were available for sale in tourist shops. Some seemed to
blatantly exploit the stray issue with titles such as “Rebel Street Cats 2009.” Avoid purchasing these kinds of items unless
you can verify that the money goes to a reputable animal welfare group.
Pass the Message On. If you witness an animal or animals in need of help while on vacation, seek contact information for a local animal welfare organization or shelter and pass on the information to them. If you’re able, drop off a donation to help address the situation, or send a check after returning home. (Sadly, we must caution against referring concerns about stray animals to hotel staff as some hotels have resorted to killing animals to avoid guest complaints.) When planning a trip, you can check with humane societies in the area before you leave to see whether they are in need of any supplies you might be able to bring with you. Search the World Society for the Protection of Animals' member society database for a list of humane organizations by country.
If you’re able to help rescue an animal while on vacation, we would love to share the story on Compassionate Planet!