Lacta, a sweet newborn

Lacta, a very young kitten, arrived recently. She’s a sweetie different from the others.💕 Sadly she is an orphan as her mother was found dead. Thanks to the teachers of the primary school of Aegiali she has come to us safe and sound.

Here is a small video from her arrival into a box for sweets: https://youtube.com/shorts/UhafrL3XRP4?feature=share

and one more of her first day in our care: https://youtube.com/shorts/ybnCq7RvtOY?feature=share

Here at AZI’s Center she will be treated to the best care we can offer! If you’d like to help please consider a virtual adoption or a donation. More info can be found here.

Sfigos crosses the rainbow

We are sad to report that Sfigos, our 14-15 year old feline mascot of AZI’s Center, has passed away.

Sfigos had become unsteady in his hind legs in his old age, but then it got so bad that he started to drag himself. In addition, a tumor appeared in his ear. Unfortunately he was diagnosed with a herniated disc in the spine and cancer in the ear in a difficult spot near the head.  

It was with a very heavy heart that we agreed to euthanasia because we didn’t want him to suffer either by being in pain or by being stuck living a reduced life in a cage or being stuck indoors (he was an outdoor cat).

We hope we made the right decision and that our sweet Sfigos now lives in another, better world. We miss you a lot our sweet, beautiful boy.

Winter sterilization program completed

The Municipality of Amorgos, in collaboration with Animal Zone International, held a 14-day sterilization program for stray cats. A total of 164 stray cats (80 females and 84 males) from most of the villages of Amorgos were sterilized.

In addition, all animals received vaccines against panleukopenia, calicivirus, feline herpesvirus, and rabies as well as anti-parasitic treatment. Additionally they were tagged electronically (microchipped).

We have many people to thank for another successful program. First and foremost, would be to our amazing veterinarian Dr. Andrianna Alexandropoulou for her unwavering support and assistance. She worked intensely and tirelessly to meet the needs of our community.

Next, we sincerely thank the shipping company BLUE STAR FERRIES which is always helpful to the needs of our island and offered free transfer on the distinguished seat to our vet.

Also, we offer sincere thanks to the Municipality of Amorgos for the continuous support and perfect cooperation, and our Chariklia Psaki who worked eagerly as a veterinarian assistant.

We wish to thank our amazing volunteers who “plowed the island” and went up and down many stairs in order to collect and release cats and of course all the inhabitants of the island who participated and helped each in their own way.

Our spay and neuter programs are vitally important for both the cats and the islanders. Without this effort, the cat population will explode to unsustainable levels. Cats reach breeding age very quickly—at just 5 or 6 months they can have two or three litters a year. When there is an explosion in the cat population, it is difficult to feed and care for them all and they soon become parasitic and diseased, suffering from malnutrition and common infections thus increasing discontent in the community. When the cat population is under control, we can provide them with appropriate food and anti-parasitic treatments so that their overall health improves, which reduces the risk of them being considered a nuisance pest. Suffering is reduced and harmony is achieved—a win-win for all.

If you’d like to help, please consider supporting our efforts with a donation. We appreciate your help, no matter how small: https://tinyurl.com/Donate-AZI.

Help for Billy

Billy is just a 6 month old kitten but his life has already been full of difficulties and hardships. Billy got trapped in the engine of a car and somehow he was lucky enough not to get minced. But he did sustain a bad wound in his tail and a very bad fracture on his right hind leg which requires orthopedic surgery or amputation. On top of that, he is suffering from a very bad infection of fungus causing him to lose entire tufts of his fur.

Yet despite this, his sweet personality came through. He is a very tender and sweet creature. For us, there is no question. When a leg could be saved with surgery, amputation was not even an option. So we contacted an orthopedic surgeon vet in Athens and scheduled Billy's surgery for the morning of January 19.

But we will your help to pay for this procedure. The cost of the surgery itself is 600 euro plus 24% VAT, so 744,00 euro in total. Billy needs also to take a syrup against fungus which costs 56,00 euro, so the minimum we need to collect is 800,00 euro.

He is eating well and gaining weight and he is also incredibly cuddly and sweet so after all he will need a home. And of course he will need all your positive energy and thoughts because Billy is an underweight, unvaccinated, full of fungus stray kitten and the risk during anesthesia is big.

Every little bit helps ... If you’d like to help, please consider supporting our efforts with a donation. We appreciate your help, no matter how small: https://tinyurl.com/Donate-AZI

Sweet Zoe needs a home!

In June 2023, one and a half- month-old Zoe came to us suffering from an eye infection and respiratory disease. We began an intensive treatment that cured the respiratory problems but she had already lost her right eye and the infection to the left eye threatened to leave impaired vision. This would have been disastrous for her as she was already blind in one eye and was in danger of becoming completely blind. Thank goodness after long-term treatment we managed to save the left eye!!

Since then Zoe is fostered in our Center as when she completed her treatment was too young to return back to the streets, and then winter came! She is 8 month old , is spayed and vaccinated. In spring, when the weather turns warm again we will return sweet Zoe to her neighborhood…unless someone is willing to adopt her. Life in a warm home is always better than the life on the streets, and as a friendly kitty, we hope a loving family will come forward and give her the happy life he deserves. How about yours?

R.I.P. Singi

Our hearts broke yesterday when we had to say goodbye to the purest soul to grace this world.

Singi grew up at our Center since he was four months old. Two years ago he developed an autoimmune disease that created sores on his face. He visited the vet many times, he went through many treatments and fought hard but he left yesterday for the long journey.

Dear Singi, you were a fighter who taught our hearts so much about love and the will to live. You will forever be missed.

Fall sterilization

The Municipality of Amorgos, in collaboration with Animal Zone International, held a 5-day sterilization program for stray cats from October 2-6, 2023. A total of 117 stray cats (56 females and 61 males) from most of the villages of Amorgos were sterilized.

In addition, all animals received vaccines against panleukopenia, calicivirus, feline herpesvirus, and rabies as well as anti-parasitic treatment. Additionally they were all tagged electronically (microchipped).

We have many people to thank for another successful program. First and foremost, would be to our amazing veterinarian Dr. Andrianna Alexandropoulou for her unwavering support and assistance. She worked intensely and tirelessly to meet the needs of our community.

Next, we sincerely thank the shipping company BLUE STAR FERRIES which is always helpful to the needs of our island and offered free transfer on the distinguished seat to our vet.

Also, we offer sincere thanks to the Municipality of Amorgos for the continuous support and perfect cooperation, and our Chariklia Psaki who worked eagerly as a veterinarian assistant. We wish to thank our amazing volunteers Giorgos, Fanny, Angeliki, Julia, Mata, Lamia, Eleftheria, Maria, Lilie, Fanny, Alexandros, Georgia, and Sofia who “plowed the island” and went up and down many stairs in order to collect and release cats as well as to assist in the clinic, and of course all the inhabitants of the island who helped each in their own way.

We have renewed our appointment for February for one more sterilization program.

Our spay and neuter programs are vitally important for both the cats and the islanders. Without this effort, the cat population will explode to unsustainable levels. Cats reach breeding age very quickly—at just 6 months they can have two or three litters a year. When there is an explosion in the cat population, it is difficult to feed and care for them all and they soon become parasitic and diseased, suffering from malnutrition and common infections thus increasing discontent in the community. When the cat population is under control, we can provide them with appropriate food and anti-parasitic treatments so that their overall health improves, which reduces the risk of them being considered a nuisance pest. Suffering is reduced and harmony is achieved—a win-win for all.

If you’d like to help, please consider supporting our efforts with a donation. We appreciate your help, no matter how small: https://tinyurl.com/Donate-AZI.

Feeders for stray cats

A longtime dream comes true. The Municipality of Amorgos and Animal Zone International have placed on a trial basis and at specific points feeders for the stray cats. The feeders were placed on spots where colonies of stray cats already existed and were being fed by volunteers. The purpose of placing the feeders is the existence of constantly available food for the stray cats of these areas as well as the maintenance of cleanliness since the food will not be put on the ground but in the feeder.

It is estimated that this will limit the prevalence of animals that are malnourished, cachectic, and therefore, more vulnerable to disease. It will also reduce the need for stray cats to forage from other sources (such as garbage bins), which in turn creates other problems. Finally, with the intensive program of sterilization for the stray cats that are fed in those specific areas, it is sought not to increase their number further.

The feeders were built with passion and love by Philippe Simermann and painted by the talented Kalliopi-Irini Zogopoulou (Kali). Both volunteered their time and talent and we are sincerely grateful for their generosity. The services of the Municipality of Amorgos will monitor the situation in the areas where the feeders were placed with the prospect of continuing this practice in other parts of the Municipality.

We ask residents who feed stray cats where there are feeders to put the food (dry food) in the feeder and not on the ground. We hope everyone is pleased (including the cats) with this smart improvement!

Autumn Sterilization program

MONDAY, OCTOBER 2 THROUGH FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2023

The Municipality of Amorgos and Animal Zone International will carry out a sterilization program for stray cats.

We ask those who take care of stray cats in their area and those who are interested in participating to contact us promptly at telephone: 22850 71716 & 6974990045.

According to Law 4940/2022, article 52, sterilization of dogs and cats is mandatory except for the animals whose genetic sample of material (DNA) has been sent to the genetic storage and analysis laboratory pet material of article 13.

The participation of volunteers, mainly in catching and transporting animals, will significantly help us help more animals. Thank you!

An August kitten

A tiny creature came recently into our hands. He was found crying alone for several hours on the path to Kastri. He is growing in the experienced hands of Angeliki and once he gets a little older he will be available for adoption. Stay tuned!

Lucky is adopted!

Lucky, the kitten with the special ears, was adopted and yesterday he moved to his new family.

Adopting a kitten was the constant request of our little friend to her parents for two years. After much thought her parents gave her the green light to adopt a kitten from the animal shelter.

Her little face was shining with joy both when she chose him and also she finally took him in her arms. We are sure they will become the best of friends!!

Marios' broken jaw

His name is Marios for a very good reason! Marios got hit by a car and he is still alive thanks to the sensitivity and persistence of a woman from the neighborhood where he lived. Marios comes from Xylokeratidi, an otherwise safe area for cats.

Being hit by a car has cost him a badly broken jaw, but the dangerous thing was that after the accident he was so scared, that he was hiding from people so that he could not be caught to get help from the vet. Due to the fracture, he was not able to eat.

Angela made a lot of effort to find and catch him for many days without a result. When a week had passed since the accident, she decided that on that day he must be caught or otherwise he would not survive. So she asked for help, which was given to her!

The local vet Dimitris went on the spot where the cat had been hiding from the previous day and as soon as the cat felt safe, he went straight to him. The next day, Marios traveled to Naxos where he had surgery.

Marios is now back at our Center where he will remain for at least a month. He eats with appetite, he gained weight and he is more relaxed and happy!

Another soul was saved because a human being cared for him!

Thank you Angela!

Please, don't ignore an animal that looks like it's in trouble—ask for help. Every creature's life is precious.

Here are two short videos of him:

https://youtube.com/shorts/gRfUxCz5gww

https://youtube.com/shorts/vExzPOEK7zo?feature=share

Porthos is adopted!

In the summer of 2021, four tiny orphaned kittens came to our care: 3 boys and 1 girl, the Three Musketeers and princess Avgi. Not even one week old, with their eyes closed, they could fit in our palms.

Α "human" took them from their mom and threw them in the street like they were rubbish. It took us an entire month of intensive care (and loss of sleep!) until they began to eat on their own. Almost four months later two of them, Athos and Avgi, traveled to their new family in Holland. They had been adopted by the best family who had already adopted another Amorgian kitten, Siouti.

But Ute’s heart was left behind in Amorgos, with the third kitten, named Porthos who had stayed back. She tried to convince her husband Edouard to adopt him too. Porthos was an animal that really needed a home— life as a stray on the streets was not for him and Ute knew that. After nagging Edouard day and night about it she finally managed to convince him. So on her last trip to Amorgos in May she finally got the OK to bring Porthos back to their home in Holland and to reunite him with his brother and sister. The wandering life of an outdoor cat came to an end for Porthos and we were very happy about it.

Ute and Edouard thank you from the bottom of our hearts for once again opening your home and your hearts to creatures in need. Thank you for what you have offered us and the animals of Amorgos. Have a happy and great life together!

Here is a small video of Porthos at his new home!

Here you can find his story: https://www.animal-zone.org/news/2022/1/7/dhr4wweucx1u8k9u1qs2kymy5aluxa

And here the adoption story of his brother and sister: https://www.animal-zone.org/news/2021/11/8/athos-and-avgi-are-adopted-in-holland

Update on Achilleas

It was January 2020 when Achilleas left Amorgos, where he was born, and went to his new home in Switzerland. His new mum Pascal and Achilleas had become very good friends during Pascal’s stay at AZI’s Center when she came to do some volunteer work.

Pascal went back to Switzerland in September 2019 but her mind always returned to her friend Achilleas so she decided to adopt him. Our veterinarian and friend Anna traveled with him to Switzerland in January 2020. Since then Achilleas lives a happy and relaxing life forever. Yesterday we received an update on him from Pascal and we wanted to share it with you.

Pascal says: “Look how my cat grew. I put him on a diet a while ago, he is like a classic Greek cat, just eating and lying in the sun.” We’re grateful for the safe and loving home he now has with Pascal.

Here is a small video of him: https://youtube.com/shorts/x3nMK0f2utc?feature=share

Spring Sterilization Completed

The Municipality of Amorgos, in collaboration with Animal Zone International and the Greek Action of Volunteer Veterinarians (GAVV/EDKE), held a 2-day sterilization program for stray cats on March 4 and 5, 2023. A total of 69 stray cats (42 females and 27 males) from most of the villages of Amorgos were sterilized. In addition, a surgery was performed to remove a carcinoma from the ear of a stray cat.

In addition, all animals received anti-parasitic treatment and were tagged electronically (microchip).

We would first like to thank the volunteer veterinarians who participated in the action, in particular Dimitrios Papatriandafillou (chief of mission) and Nikos Kakatsidis (who came from England to volunteer his services), as well as Iovi Kotzatisoglou and Elena Gerostathopoulou, for their help.

We sincerely thank the shipping company BLUE STAR FERRIES which is always helpful in the needs of our island and offered free transport to the vets and the GALINI pension and specifically the Despotidis family who offered free accommodations, the MOURAGIO restaurant who offered free dinner both evenings, GLYKA TIS POTHITIS and TELION who offered breakfasts, ELICHRYSON and PANTOPOLEION GEFSEON who offered lunches. But a big thank you also goes to our amazing volunteers: Chariklia, George, Angeliki, Anna, Melina, Lamia, Alexandra, Wendula, Evangelia, Asimakis, Georgia, Michalis and Manolis who collected and released the cats and helped at the clinic, and of course all the inhabitants of the island who helped each in their own way.

Our spay and neuter programs are vitally important for both the cats and the islanders. Without this effort, the cat population will explode to unsustainable levels. Cats reach breeding age very quickly—at just 6 months they can have two or three litters a year. When there is an explosion in the cat population, it is difficult to feed and care for them all and they soon become parasitic and diseased, suffering from malnutrition and common infections thus increasing discontent in the community. When the cat population is under control, we can provide them with appropriate food and anti-parasitic treatments so that their overall health improves, which reduces the risk of them being considered a nuisance pest. Suffering is reduced and harmony is achieved—a win-win for all.

If you’d like to help, please consider supporting our efforts with a donation. We appreciate your help, no matter how small: https://tinyurl.com/Donate-AZI.

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Ruby is now a Dutch citizen

UPDATE JAN 2023— Ruby, now Vincent, has been adopted!

***

In July, we received a phone call concerning a kitten that got into a car engine and was almost turned into mincemeat. He was a tiny little creature, only 2 months old. The extent of the injuries was very severe and we were not at all certain that he would make it.

His suffering was immense and he had just started his life. But the little boy turned out to be a great fighter. He overcame everything and the only thing left to remind us of the accident is one missing ear and a crooked right leg. We called him Ruby and you can read his full story here:

https://www.animal-zone.org/news/2022/9/20/meet-ruby-our-special-kitten

Time passed and Ruby grew up but the long-awaited and hoped for adoption news did not come. (There was an almost chance, but it was canceled because the little one tested positive for Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) 1/100).

So our one and only Ute Kohlmann, whom we really don't know how to thank anymore, decided to take him to the Netherlands so that he could have a better chance of finding a home there. Ute searched and found a girl, named Kim, who will host him (maybe eventually fall in love with him and adopt him, perhaps?) and during this time she will help us look for a permanent home for our sweet Ruby. We hope that the new year will bring him own home with a family to adore him.

We would like to thank Kyriaki, Julia and Polykarpos who supported Ruby during his hospitalization and accompanied him on his journey from Amorgos to Athens; Pepi and Daniel who once again opened up their home — they not only hosted him but also escorted him to the airport; Kim who opened up her home to host him in the Netherlands; and finally Ute: we have no words for her anymore...Thank you seems too little…

Here is a small video of Ruby in Athens where he stayed for about 10 days:

https://youtube.com/shorts/r8_T2-O7NP0?feature=share

As you can imagine, his medical treatment was costly—please help us help others like Ruby by making a donation here: https://tinyurl.com/Donate-AZI

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Theodora is adopted in England!

Theodora came to our Center in December 2021. When she arrived, she was roughly 2 months old and was suffering from respiratory problems. The girl who found her had to go back home to England and although she was willing to adopt the little kitten, Theodora was too sick to travel. The girl promised to come back to Amorgos and take Theodora to England with her and that's what happened.

In early October 2022, almost a year after Theodora’s arrival in our Center, the moment we were all waiting for had finally come. Theodora said goodbye to Amorgos forever and started the journey to her new country. She is now in her new home and has completely adapted to her new life. The two dogs of the family accepted her very easily and everything went smoothly for her.

Another happy ending!!!

Here are two short videos of Theodora at her home in England:

https://youtube.com/shorts/MSaiFIyaxJk?feature=share

https://youtube.com/shorts/Te09fbt9wVA?feature=share

A Box of Kittens

Not one, not 2, but 3 kittens were abandoned inside a box and left in the parking lot of Tholaria. The kittens were there from morning till afternoon and no one cared until a good-hearted man took them with him.

But that man was in Amorgos only for a short period of time and eventually had to go back to his hometown, so he needed to find a place to leave the kittens. And soon he found out about us and asked for our help. Of course we couldn’t refuse and the kittens came to our Center.

They are 2 girls and 1 boy, only one month old, healthy and playful babies. In the period during which the kittens came to the Center, we were fighting against a virus which was causing severe diarrhea, so it was not at all the ideal place for the kittens to stay.

We made an appeal to find someone to foster the kittens in a healthier environment for them. Our dear friend Angeliki once again responded immediately to our appeal and took home the 3 kittens along with two more that had been found earlier that month. The boy has already been adopted by Angeliki and her family, but the two girls are still looking for a home.

Our work is never done—there are always new arrivals who need food, shelter, and medical care. Help us by making a donation here: https://tinyurl.com/Donate-AZI. The kittens will be forever grateful!

Two orphaned kittens are adopted

It was 3 pm on a day in the midst of our autumn sterilization program when the mobile of our program coordinator rang. Two tiny kittens had been crying since early morning while the mother was nowhere to be found.

The weather in Chora where they were was too cold and windy for them to stay alone any longer so we ran over to pick them up. The boy was huge for his age and in good condition but very hungry. The girl on the other hand was half the size of her brother, only skin and bones, with hypothermia and respiratory problems—a difficult case.

We were afraid that she wouldn't survive. We started intensive care with frequent small amounts of milk formula for kittens, vitamins, antibiotics, and heating agents and despite the odds not being on her side the little girl proved to be a fighter.

Two days later, the kittens were given to Angeliki who volunteered to foster them. That same day her family decided to adopt them so it was one of our fastest adoptions ever. In Angeliki's experienced hands the kittens got stronger, grew up, started eating on their own and have brought the house up and down with their energy. The little girl who was named Popi will soon travel to Athens where a new sister is waiting for her. Thank you so much Angeliki for all your support and efforts.

Foster homes are a great help both for us, as it opens up space for another animal in need, and for the animal itself, as it learns to live and behave in a home environment, so it is properly prepared when adopted. If you cannot adopt a cat, consider fostering a cat so you can be part of its life's journey.

Here are two short videos of them:

When they were found: https://youtube.com/shorts/q_ymmyNC_Jk?feature=share

When they started to eat by themselves: https://youtube.com/shorts/f98Vuw55088?feature=share

Rosa, a kitten who lost her eye

A young lady contacted us to ask our help for a kitten who lived in her neighborhood in the village of Kamari of Amorgos. It seemed the little cat's eye had developed a serious problem, apparently from some accident the animal must have had.

We advised her to bring the kitten to us as soon as possible so that we could send her to our vets in Naxos. The next day, the kitten who in the meantime we named Rosa, traveled to the nearby island of Naxos where our vets examined her.

Unfortunately, her left eye was completely destroyed and was causing her terrible pain, so the only solution was the surgical removal of the eye, which took place on that very same day. Two days later, Rosa was returned to our Center where she will remain for the next 2 weeks to complete her treatment.

Ideally, we would like to find a home for her instead of sending her back to the streets, but adoptions have not been easy this past year, so we don't have much hope. In case you want to adopt a kitten, Rosa is a very sweet, affectionate and playful little creature who is in a real need of a home. For now, we are asking for your help to cover the cost of the surgery.

Please help by donating here: https://tinyurl.com/Donate-AZI.

Thank you!

Here are two short videos of Rosa before and after the surgery:

Before the surgery: https://youtu.be/k8IThB-sF0I

And after the surgery: https://youtube.com/shorts/4UVrk69izbU?feature=share