Maximum penalty for the poisoning and shooting of stray dogs and cats on Zakynthos

GREEK TRANSLATION BELOW ENGLISH

Due to the lack of sterlization of animals in Greece, the country is overrun with strays cats and dogs. Every year hundreds of thousands of these stray animals die at the hands of man in the most horrendous ways. Kittens and puppies are tied in plastic bags and thrown into wheelie bins. Adult animals are shot, hung, left chained up with no water or food, drowned and poisoned. All of these methods of disposal are barbaric and cause untold distress and pain. Sometimes over days rather than hours.

The island of Zakynthos is host to hundreds of thousands of tourists year on year who want to, not only enjoy the sunshine, but experience Greek culture, it's beauty and hope to see the loggerhead turtles that nests on Zakynthos' beautiful beaches. The Laganas Bay area is a national marine park and, as such, should be a pristine environment.  Tourists bring in millions of Euros to the local economy. Yet tourists are boycotting Greece because of its appalling record on animal welfare.

The Greek economy is in dire straits at the moment and every Euro helps get the country back on its feet and its citizens to get out of their current level of poverty.

During the week commencing 17th January 2011 seven dogs found dead in  Kalamaki. Two were confirmed as poisoned in Kalamaki, one of which was a family pet. A couple of weeks later an owned dog was poisoned in its owners own garden and died. We are calling on the Zakynthos chief of police to carry out a full and thorough investigate into all incidents of poisoning, shooting or hanging of dogs leading to a prosecution and conviction carrying the maximum available penalty in accordance with the letter dispatched to all police stations across Greece by the Greek chief of police stating that the police "must take action right away whenever they have information and reply in writing to the complainant."

On Monday 21st March 2011 four dogs were found in a wheelie bin outside a supermarket at lunchtime on the edge of Zakynthos Town. They had been shot with a pistol at close range, put into dog food sacks and thrown into the bin. They were still warm when found, so they had not been dead long. Yet the police refused to attend, despite the fact someone had been firing a weapon in a public place.

We therefore respectfully request you investigate any future incidents thoroughly, prosecute and convict the perpetrator and push for a maximum sentence.

We are also calling upon the mayor of Zakynthos to ensure the residents are made aware that these acts are not only exceedingly cruel, but also against Greek law 3170/2003 and the EU directive on the treatment of animals, and infringements will result in prosecution.