Fouskos

On October 6, 2024, Fouskos, a one month-old kitten, arrived at our center. His mother ahd abandoned him and he was crying non-stop for 2 days. A kindhearted woman felt sorry for him and took him in but she had to leave Amorgos so she asked for our help. And that's how Fouskos ended up in our hands.

We began him on intensive care with regular feedings, a heating pad, antibiotics and eye drops for the respiratory and eye infection he was suffering from and soon little Fouskos recovered, gained weight and started to play.

Since then Fouskos is being fostered at our Center but life in a warm home is always better than the life at the shelters or on the streets, and as a friendly kitty, we hope a loving family will come forward and give him the happy life he deserves. How about yours?

Here is a small video of him the first day he came in our care, looking quite scruffy: https://youtube.com/shorts/-wVz1HDipOU?feature=share

Little Taz is adopted!

Taz came to our Center in 17 September 2024 after being rescued from the streets. He was only one-month-old and he was dehydrated, malnourished, with terrible diarrhea and a wound in his back from his siblings as he was the weakest.

We never like to separate kittens from their siblings but unfortunately the stronger kittens were playing hard with him and poor Taz who was sick was suffering to such a degree that we feared for his survival.

Now little Taz is not so little anymore and he has so much energy that his mum calls him Taz (from the Tasmanian devil in cartoons). And yes you understood well…Taz has been adopted from an amazing family who adore him.

Here is a small video of him in our care, two weeks after his arrival:

https://youtube.com/shorts/SOpoY-3M2Eo?feature=share

Achilleas has been adopted!

It's time to say goodbye with bittersweet feelings..

Achilleas came into our hands on May 17th, 2024 when he was only 1 day old. See his story here: https://www.animal-zone.org/news/2024/6/4/strong-little-achileas 

His chance of survival were very slim, but little Achilles proved to be a fighter and he made it! He started eating on his own, he started running and playing and when he was old enough, and soon it was time to amputate his leg amputation—to take care of the permanently open wound that prevented him the chance to live a normal life. 

Jarkko Mehtälä was the man who found him initially, while on vacation in Amorgos, and it was he who brought him to us. He said then that if Achilleas lived he would come back in the fall to get him and they both kept their promise. One lived and the other came all the way from Finland to Amorgos and back to make him part of his family. And today Achilleas left the island where he was born and traveled to a new life in distant Finland where a warm home and two more cats await him.

And what can we say now about this man who crossed Europe, with all that entails, to offer a home to a cat from Amorgos. Thank you seems too small. Achillea and Jarkko Mehtälä, we wish you a very beautiful and long life together! Have a nice trip!

You can follow Achilleas on his own Instagram page!

Autumn sterilization

Our Autumn sterilization program has been completed. During the first week of October, the Municipality of Amorgos, in collaboration with Animal Zone International, held a 5-day sterilization program for stray cats. A total of 105 stray cats (70 females and 35 males) from most of the villages of Amorgos were sterilized.

In addition, all animals received vaccines against rabies as well as anti-parasitic treatment. They were also tagged electronically (microchipped). One female kitten with broken leg from Katapola and an old cat with a big wound in her neck for more than 2 years from Potamos remain in our care for treatment. All the other cats were released back to their neighborhoods and from the majority of whom we have news that they are recovering well.

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 Evangelia Gatsinou who worked eagerly as a veterinarian assistant but of course also Chariklia Psaki who although the big pain in her legs she offered her assistant when that was needed.

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://www.animal-zone.org/donate

Voutsi's new cat feeder

The Municipality of Amorgos and Animal Zone International have worked together to place another cat feeder at Vroutsi. The feeder is installed in spot where there is a large colony of stray cats being fed leftovers by the locals. Our objective for placing the feeder in that spot is to offer nutritionally proper food for the cats as well as to maintain cleanliness in the area by providing food in the feeder and not on the ground.

Additionally it is hoped that this will minimize 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 or restaurants), which in turn creates other problems. With the intensive program of sterilization for the stray cats in these specific areas, the goal is to keep the cat population from growing out of control.

We ask residents who feed the stray cats to place dry cat food in the new feeders and not on the ground. We hope everyone is pleased (including the cats) with this smart improvement!

Stavros

Stavros — The Sweet Survivor

We named him Stavros because he came from the area of ​​Stavros. On the day that the mountain of Aegiali was burning, he, unknown how, was found burnt on the road to Arkesini, many kilometers further. 

When he arrived, he was in terrible shape and had sustained many severe burns. His ears and face were burned, and his nose was damaged to such an extent that he could only breathe through his mouth. His legs were also burned and full of maggots. He also had worms in his eyes. 

He was in extreme pain and yet when we were taking care of him he was asking for caresses. Every day that passes he is taking a step for the better. We are rooting for him to make a full recovery!

Here is a short video of him receiving treatment when he came: https://youtube.com/shorts/dC9XRYG0OUM?si=48NpUS9hvh17Wypu

Help us help Stavros—please donate now or even better, virtually adopt Stavros, and be a friend on his road to recovery.

Tomi

Tomi was found on the street almost unconscious. His rescuers called and told us, “We found a kitten that is probably dying.” When he arrived, he was completely dehydrated, with hypothermia and possible internal bleeding. The chances of survival were slim but he proved strong. 

The next day he was eating by syringe but with great appetite and a day later he was able to eat by himself and had his eyes wide open. Ten days after his arrival, he has now blossomed into playful kitten full of joy.

It’s unbelievable, but it appears he has made a full recovery! Who will adopt this little fighter?

Strong Little Achileas

Achileas and his sister were found in the area of the Castle of Chora on Amorgos both in bad shape. For Achileas, his umbilical cord was wrapped tightly around his leg, restricting blood flow and causing major damage to his limb. His sister had a terrible wound on her front leg, down to the bone, and sadly she did not survive. 

However we are very hopeful that little Achileas will make it—he is clearly a fighter. He is now 13 days old and thriving. Unfortunately at this time there is not much we can do about his damaged leg—he’s far too young for surgery now—but this does not seem to bother him at all. He is very resilient and active and eats with a great appetite and we hope he will continue to get stronger each day!

We are optimistic that we can nurse him back to health but we can’t do it alone. Please help and make a donation now.

Here are 3 short videos: 

1. When he came to our Center: https://youtube.com/shorts/XnbxBd2_4b0?feature=share

2. At 13 days old: https://youtube.com/shorts/pCoWozPCeV0?feature=share

3. Achileas eating from his bottle: https://youtube.com/shorts/0YGETlQPAGQ?feature=share

Olivia and Oliver, from Amorgos to the Netherlands

Olivia (above) and Oliver (below) were found with terrible eye infections on the streets of a village called Langada in Amorgos. Their mother was a feral cat who had hidden her kittens until they were about a month and a half old. This resulted in them not receiving timely eye care and losing their sight. Many residents felt sorry and tried to help them with treatments on the spot in order not to separate them from their mother at such a young age but without success so finally the kittens were brought to our Center. 

When they arrived they were also both suffering from diarrhea. Oliver had already lost both eyes and Olivia had a very limited vision in her right eye. They received treatment and soon there were two active, beautiful kittens available for adoption. 

The good news came from the Netherlands with Olivia first and Oliver second. Our beautiful Olivia traveled to her new home in Holland in February and our sweet Oliver 5 days ago. 

Due to their blindness, these kittens have no chance of survival on the streets and no chance of adoption in Amorgos, so without this chance their lives would have been a limited one. The fact that these families, so many miles away, opened their homes for them makes us extremely grateful to them.

We wish you both a beautiful, happy, and long life together!!

Here’s a short video of Oliver in his new home in Holland: https://youtube.com/shorts/g-Z3V5gXUkI?feature=share

Please donate to help us help other needy animals on Amorogs! http://www.animal-zone.org/donate

Five kittens

Not one, not two, not three but FIVE small kittens were abandoned inside a plastic bag in a remote area of Aegiali. A tourist during her hike from Tholaria to Langada, following the traditional path, heard their cries and asked for help. The poor babies were fortunate in their misfortune. The kittens were skin and bones, they were starving and they were full of fleas (see videos below).

Clearly we must continue our work of sterilization and educational campaigns in order to prevent this from occuring again. Won’t you join us in our cause??! We appreciate any assistance you can offer. Donate, or volunteer and foster if you are nearby. AZI and the kittens thank you!

https://youtube.com/shorts/RMM0dVwak2s?feature=share

https://youtube.com/shorts/3ozTBwILcrA?feature=share

Lacta's brothers

The day after Lacta was found next to her mother who had been killed by car, and who came to us thanks to the teachers of Aegiali’s primary school, two more kittens were found crying near to the area Lacta was found.

Obviously they are Lacta's brothers who started to cry and thankfully people noticed them. The two little ones are both boys and are thriving! Let us introduce you Batman and Robin!

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!