Siouti is adopted!

June 2021—Siouti was only 2 months old when she was found by our friend Iannis in the middle of the road to Aegiali, in a deserted location. Unfortunately she was already quite blind due to a bad eye infection. Iannis took care of her for as long as he could but because he travels often he could not keep her so Siouti came to our Center.

We confirmed that Siouti was completely blind; additionally she tested positive for Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP). Luckily that didn’t stop her from being adopted by a wonderful couple in Holland.

On 16th of June, Siouti traveled to her new country and is now a Dutch citizen. Her new mum Ute loves Amorgos and has been coming here for about 10 years. This year she decided to spend her holiday in Amorgos by helping animals, which was wonderful for us since she decided to volunteer at our Center. It was then that she met Siouti and fell in love with her. After a week her partner Edouard joined the group, and he fell in love with Siouti as well.

Siouti lives now in a beautiful house in Amsterdam and although she is completely blind has already become completely accustomed to the environment. Here is a message from her mum:

Hello Litsa, all is fine with Siouti, she also came to sleep next to us last night. She is settling well, it’s amazing how quickly she knows the house, where the doors are, where to jump on or off, it’s incredible!

Here are 2 short videos of Siouti at her new home in Holland:

Update on Georgia

June 2021—From the streets of Athens to AZI's Center in Amorgos, then from AZI's Center to a beautiful home in Holland, Georgia—now called Dumpy—was a blind, sweet kitten we rescued in the summer of 2020.

Now, she has become a Dutch citizen and has a wonderful life in a warm home with a very big loving family. Here are some of the recent photos we received from her mum.

See her original story here: https://www.animal-zone.org/news/2020/8/21/georgia

Spay/Neuter Program Spring 2021

The Spring sterilization program was completed successfully. A total of 145 stray cats (81 female and 64 male) were spay/neutered from all the villages of Amorgos, as well as 2 male dogs from AZI's shelter.

The program was made in collaboration with the Municipality of Amorgos, Animal Zone International, and Aegean Cats / “We live together” (www.welivetogether.gr).

We would first like to thank our amazing veterinarian Dr. Manolis Vorrisis, the founder of "We live together" (based on the island of Syros) for the uninterrupted support and assistance. Also we offer sincere thanks to the Municipality of Amorgos for the continuous support and perfect cooperation, the veterinarian Dr. Anna-Katerina Bacher who came from Thessaloniki to work for our sterilization program, the local veterinarian Dr. Dimitris Simos for his participation and impeccable cooperation, our Chariklia Psaki who worked eagerly as a veterinarian assistant, our amazing volunteers Giorgos, Anna, Mata, Melina, Lamia, Evangelia, Ventoula, Maria, Sofia, Fani and Alexandros 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 his own way. Thank you all!

This sterilization program is crucial for both the cats and the residents of the island. Without this effort, the population of cats would explode to unsustainable levels. Cats reach the age of reproduction very quickly at 6 months and 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 sick, suffering from malnutrition and common infections, and increasing dissatisfaction within the community. When the cat population is under control, we are able to give them proper food and treatments for parasites, so that their overall health improves which reduces their risk of being a nuisance. Suffering is reduced and harmony is achieved.

Regarding the contradiction which speaks of interference in the nature of the animal, our veterinarian Dr. Manolis Vorrisis points out that “for us, the cat is not a wild animal, but a pet. We intervene because we want her near us. Just as we intervene in our own lives with medical procedures etc. to benefit our health, we also intervene in hers.” To us, it’s clear that it is the right thing to do.

If you agree, please continue to support our efforts to improve the lives of the cats of Amorgos. Make a donation to AZI today. Thank you!

Lemonaki

Lemonaki gazes at her childhood photograph which was taken at our program coordinator’s home nine years ago. Back then, she was a tiny underfed two-month-old kitten found in Katapola square in Amorgos.

But, through grace and good luck, she was adopted by an amazing couple, Malin and Emilio, where she now lives a safe and happy life in Sweden and treated like a queen.

Thank you Malin and Emilio!!

Update on Bolec and Lolec

The latest rescue of two orphaned kittens, Bolec and Lolec, has been a great success. (See their original post here.)

These two are very happy, affectionate, and playful and would be a wonderful addition to a warm and loving home. What about yours? They will entertain you nonstop!

AZI Slideshow

The video below shows some of the sweet cats and dogs (and a goat!) we have rescued so far in 2020. So many kittens came to us sick and malnourished and now they are beautiful, healthy cats. Some have been adopted but many others still need a loving and safe place to call home.

We can do this with only with the help of our supporters like you. Your contributions are crucial, so please give what you can. No donation is too small! Each creature that comes to our Center gets a chance at a better life. We tend to the sick, feed the hungry, and search out good homes for as many as we can.

Donate here: https://tinyurl.com/Donate-AZI

WARNING: Some “Before” images are graphic.

Bolec and Lolec

Recently two newborn kittens arrived from the area of Rachidi in Katapola. We learned of their existence because their constant crying was keeping people awake for several nights. Fortunately we arrived just in time. These two helpless kittens were not even a month old, malnourished, dehydrated, and clearly abandoned. It seemed that their chances for survival were slim. But, after five days of feedings of two or three drops of milk throughout the day, they began to eat on their own and gained strength and their health. Now, they are feeling better and starting to play together. We welcome them and wish Bolec and Lolec a long and happy life.

Melenia and Marianna

Marianna arrived in our Center in Oct 2019 when she was only two months old, a tiny undernourished kitten both blind and deaf and suffering from a number of neurological problems. Born in a garden in the area of Katapola, Marianna was cared for by the owner of the garden who had allowed a colony of cats and kittens to call his garden home. When he realized that Marianna had serious health issues he turned to AZI for help, and since then she has been under our care. Unfortunately, her eyesight and hearing were permanently damaged so could not be saved, but we felt that she was healthy and happy enough to be adopted.

Melenia had come to our center two months before Marianna, a tiny kitten only two months old with serious injuries from being hit by a car. She was given very low chances of survival but in spite of this, she proved to have great strength and a powerful will to live. Melenia had also lost her vision due to the impact but over time it returned and the only lingering result of her injury now is a slight limp. Her moving story is told here: https://www.animal-zone.org/news/2019/12/2/the-miracle-of-melenia

The stories of Marianna and Melenia merge with the story of two visitors to Amorgos from Germany. During their holidays two years ago they found a very sick cat in the streets of Aegiali and they learned about our center when trying to rescue this cat. Although we tried our best to save this cat, unfortunately, it did not survive.

Time passed, Kris and Lauren were ready to adopt a pet, they decided on a cat from our island in memory of the one they had tried so hard to save. We had only Marianna and Melenia available at that time, both special needs cats, but the caring couple decided to adopt both.

Due to the Covid-19 lockdown, the wait to receive these two cats was long but finally, Melenia and Marianna have joined Kris and Lauren to become one family. Our coordinator Litsa traveled with the cats from Amorgos to the airport in Athens and Kris arrived from Munich to take these two sweet cats home.

We give our heartfelt thanks to Kris and Lauren, a lovely and amazing young couple, and we wish the four of them a long and very happy life together. We will miss our sweet special girls but we know that they will be warm and safe and enveloped with love.

Update on Yupi

Yupi arrived safely in his new home in Belgium. The people of the shelter there will do their best in order to give this handsome boy the special care he needs. Thank you all!

Yupi

When he came to Animal Zone International’s Center, he was a bony creature with a respiratory problem and severe diarrhea. After a few days, we discovered he had a very serious condition — partial paralysis of the large intestine and a malfunctioning sphincter, which caused the incontinence and frequent infections, etc.

We’re told it was possibly caused by a stroke. But we know an animal in this condition cannot survive in the streets and adoption is not so easy for special needs cats. So we turned to a shelter in Belgium which is known to take on difficult cases.

Happily, Yupi was accepted and on 29 September 2020, he traveled to the Netherlands where he will stay for a few days before he heads to Belgium in order to be evaluated by experienced rescuers. We hope against hope that he will find his own home as he is an absolute cuddly sweet creature.

We want to acknowledge all the caring people who started the chain of events that saved him. From the tourist who picked him up from the streets of Tholaria, the volunteers who took care of him at our Center, Marina who accompanied him on the ship from Amorgos to Piraeus, Pepi and Daniel who picked him up from the port of Piraeus and hosted him at their house for a few days and accompanied him to the airport, Sophie and Jelle who accompanied him on the flight, Juliet who picked him up in the Netherlands, hosted him for a few days, and drove him all the way to Belgium to deliver him to the shelter who agreed to take him in.

This show of love and care makes us very optimistic, knowing there are many who do not remain indifferent and rather are willing to work together to help a small creature very much in need.

We hope that our little Yupi will be well —as well as possible. We wish you a good start in your new life and we hope that you will soon find your own family who will accept you as you are.

Ntinos

In July 2020, two-month-old Ntinos came to us suffering from an eye infection and respiratory disease. We began an intensive treatment that cured the respiratory problems but the infection left his eye with impaired vision. Still he carries on beautifully and the problem is not a serious one.

Soon we will return sweet Ntinos to his neighborhood unless someone is willing to adopt him. Life in a warm home is always better than the life on the streets, and as friendly kitty, we hope a loving family will come forward and give him the happy life he deserves.

Orfeas, before and after

Orfeas came to our Center in May 2020 after being rescued from the streets along with his sister, Evridiki. They were not quite two months old and were living with their mom in the area of Kastelopetra, next to the central road in Katapola – Chora.

We never like to separate kittens from their mothers but unfortunately both kittens were suffering from respiratory disease and eye infections to such a degree that we feared for their survival. Now, even though their health is greatly improved, they have severely impaired vision or are blind due to the infection.

Blind kittens cannot survive on the streets, much less next to a busy road, so we have kept them with us and they are now playful and happy five month olds. They are healthy aside from their eyesight and would love to be in a new home. Would you consider adopting these sweet siblings?

Our work on Amorgos is dependent on donations and we ask for your help in caring for Orfeas. Please help us as well in finding him a loving home. We and Orfeas would be ever so grateful! https://tinyurl.com/Donate-AZI

Scenes from AZI's Center

Jerry

In June, Jerry arrived with his siblings at our Center when they were not quite two months old. These small babes suffered from the usual respiratory disease and eye infections but after treatment and intensive care, they have fully recovered and now are active, playful and cuddly kittens—which means that they are available for adoption.

Unfortunately Jerry’s left eye never fully recovered — it is so badly damaged that he must undergo surgery and therefore, it also means that we are searching for cat lovers who can make a contribution to his care.

Please help us to help Jerry and make a contribution today! We and Jerry would be truly grateful! https://tinyurl.com/Donate-AZI

Heracles

In August 2020, Heracles came to us at the Center with a broken right front leg. Since he was unable to walk, we decided to hold the bone in place with a small cloth cast and to keep him stationary in a hospital cage.

After twenty-five days, Heracles now runs and jumps and plays and his injury is long forgotten. Soon, Heracles will be released back into the area he comes from and the kind owners of a nearby café have promised to care for him. We wish sweet Heracles a long and happy and carefree life.

Zoe and Michael

Zoe and Michael have been adopted! They arrived in our Center as two small kittens (along with two other kittens) on June 5, 2020. After necessary treatment for eye infections and respiratory disease from which they fully recovered (thankfully!), they grew to become active, playful, and very cuddly kittens.

Recently Mr. Evgenikos and his girlfriend, who live year round in Amorgos, came to our Center and immediately fell in love with Zoe and Michael and decided to adopt them. We wish these little devils a long and happy life with their new mom and dad!

Evridiki

Evridiki came to our Center in May after being rescued from the streets along with her brother Orfeas. These kittens were not quite two months old and were living with their mom in the area of Kastelopetra, next to the central road in Katapola, Chora.

We never like to separate kittens from their mothers but unfortunately both kittens were suffering from respiratory disease and eye infections to such a degree that we feared for their survival. Sadly, even though their health has greatly improved, they have both lost their eyesight to the infection.

Blind kittens cannot survive on the streets and so we have kept them with us and they are now healthy playful and happy five month olds and they would be grateful for a new home.

Our work on Amorgos is dependent on donations and we ask for your help in caring for sweet Evridiki. Please consider a virtual adoption! We and Evridiki would be ever so grateful. https://tinyurl.com/Donate-AZI

Bonnie & Clyde

Bonnie and Clyde are now one-and-a-half months old and they just had their first adventure outside. They now can eat by themselves in spite of still asking for a baby bottle whenever they see their “mama” Litsa.

These two sweethearts are active and playful — sweet kittens who will soon be ready for adoption. We know they will bring joy to their forever home so send in your application now!!

See the original post here: https://www.animal-zone.org/news/2020/7/22/bonnie-and-clyde-two-orphaned-kittens

Our work on Amorgos is dependent on your donations. Please help us help these innocent creatures and make a contribution today! We and the kittens of Amorgos would be ever so grateful. https://tinyurl.com/Donate-AZI

Bonnie and Clyde at one-and-a-half-months old

Bonnie and Clyde’s first time outside

Four Kittens

In June, a young girl from Arkesini called our program coordinator, Litsa, and asked for help with four newborn kittens that she had discovered alone in a field. Litsa gave her advice on how to care for them until they could be brought to our Center the next day.

These tiny kittens were only about three weeks old, not yet able to feed themselves, so we began an intensive care program, feeding them every two and a half hours with a baby bottle.  It seemed better for Litsa to care for them at home because of the intensive and time consuming program.

Because Litsa was already caring for two other newborns she asked ten-year-old Melina to come and help with their care.  Melina decided to take all four kittens home with her until they could begin to eat soft food by themselves. After that, Fanis, Croket, Ermina and Nala came back into Litsa’s care where they will remain until we can find loving homes for them.  

Our work on Amorgos is dependent of your donations. Please help us help these innocent creatures and make a contribution today! https://tinyurl.com/Donate-AZI

Aris

When Aris was only one month old he was rescued by two kind Italian tourists who brought him to our Center. Aris has grown up with us and he is a calm and tender fellow who is also curious and playful. A kitten this sweet needs a warm and loving home.

A wonderful couple in Holland adopted Aris long distance and now, after a delay of seven months, they came from Holland to bring Aris back home.  He will have a loving family and a sweet friend in the six-year-old child that he will play with.

We want, once again, to thank Mirtos Animal Project and their team for all their efforts in helping us find a home for Aris. As well, we want to thank Maura and Cesare, the kind Italian couple who saved his life by bringing him to our Center, and, we give our great thanks to Ruben and Lennie who have opened their home to him. 

We wish Aris a long and happy life in Holland!

Our work on Amorgos is dependent of your donations. Please help us help these innocent creatures and make a contribution today! https://tinyurl.com/Donate-AZI