WAG - Welfare for Animals Global

Meeting With
The Mayor
Of Corfu

We addresed the issue detailed below with the Mayor and members of

"The Ark" animal society and hope for the reconciliation of a very disgraceful situation.

An anonymous plea from the
Island of Corfu/Kerkyra:

In the nineteen-seventies there was one animal protection society in Corfu, KEPZ, founded by a number of prominent, well educated Corfiots who were interested in improving the wretched, abusive conditions of animals on the island.

Then, in the mid seventies, two island women, the Tsagaraki sisters, joined KEPZ and began building an empire. They destroyed KEPZ; driving away all of the members.

They terrorized former members into keeping quiet about the way the KEPZ shelter in the town of Agios Ioannis and property ($) belonging to KEPZ was being mismanaged and the animals neglected and mistreated.

Time after time, well intentioned animal lovers have been taken to court by the sisters, on charges that surpass the absurd. People genuinely trying to help animals have been slandered by the Tsagarakis on television, radio and in the newspapers.

The Ark was founded in 1997 as an alternative to KEPZ by Greek and foreign residents. From the beginning The Ark was the target of the sister's wrath. Because Ark policy includes euthanasia of unwanted newborns and in cases of extreme injury or incurable illness, Ark members were branded as murderers and terrorized.

In the meantime the (approximate, who is allowed in to count?) 100 dogs kept at the KEPZ shelter in Agios Yannis continue to suffer from neglect, lack of food, water, veterinary care, and sterilization Presently, hundreds of starving and sick dogs are looked after by one part time employee.

Except for two hours daily the dogs are on their own, to fight amongst themselves, often to the death, to breed and give birth only to have the puppies eaten by the rats that overrun the shelter.

For a time, the shelter had no water at all since the sisters never pay their water bill. This happens in the hot summer months when the temperature regularly hits over 100 degrees.

Corfu officials do not like visitors to see the stray dogs that live in the streets of the town. Since the only shelter is run by these sisters, this is where officials dump the unwanted dogs.

The government officials pay the sisters to warehouse the unwanted animals. The fate of the dogs once they are off the streets is of no importance whatsoever. And interestingly, the KEPZ shelter has always operated without a license.

Some of these dogs have been spayed by The Ark at great expense, and are looked after by caring local people.

A message from Corfu: Please help us by faxing or e-mailing letters of protest to the following officials. Dialing is as follows 011 (international access code) 30 (Greece's country code) followed by the numbers below:

Nomarchis: Poulimenos, Stefanos,
Tel. (26610) 31696, 39606, Fax 26610 32525.

Dimos Kerkyraion: Mayor Michalef, Sotirios S.,
email: mayor@corfu.gr.
Phone: (26610) 39553, 42602, 40402. Fax 26610 32779.

Dimos Agios Georgiou: Mayor Tribizas, Spiridon N.,
phone (26630) 71233, 71226. Fax 26630 72370.

Dimos Achilleon, Mayor Karydis, Erotokritos T.,
Phone (26610) 49301, 2, 48039. Fax 26610 49303.

Dimos Esperion: Mayor Avlonitis, Alexandros N.,
Phone, (26630) 72346-9. Fax 26630 72345

Dimos Thinalion, Mayor Varelis, Spiridon Z.,
email thinalion@kerkyra.net .
Phone: (26630) 63353, 63668. Fax 26630 63669.

Dimos Meleteion, Mayor Livadiotis, Ioannis S.,
Phone, (26610) 76143, 76938, 76251. Fax 26610 76558.

Dimos Lefkimmeon, Mayor Gatsoulis, Spiridon X. ,
Phone 26620 22066. Fax 26620 22371.

Dimos Parelion, Mayor Krokidis, Spiridon A,
Phone (26610) 95222, 95122. Fax 26610 94009.
Email: parelion@otenet.gr
This dimos is the one where the Tsagarakis are located, and also Aqualand.

Dimos Kassiopaion: Mayor Pantazis, Georgios S.
email: root@kassiopi-mun.ker.forthnet.gr
Phone: (26630) 91257, 91469. Fax. 26630 91550.

Dimos Faiakon, Mayor Karras, Mihail N.
Phone (26610) 97010, 97011, 97034. Fax : 26610 97012.

Dimos Korission : Mayor Heimariotis, Vassilios T.
Phone: (26620) 53000, 52009. Fax: 26620 53002.

Dimos Palaiokastriton: Mayor Halikias, Konstantinos M
Phone: (26630) 41771-3. Fax : 26630 41772.

Dear Sir/Madam:

We vehemently protest the roundup of abandoned dogs from the streets of Corfu and their subsequent imprisonment and death in the "legal death camp" run by the Tsagaraki sisters of Agios Yiannis.

We respectfully request that a subsidy be provided for a spay/neuter/vaccination campaign and that temporary shelter, measuring up to EU standards, be provided for the animals post operatively. Practising veterinarians on Corfu should, by mandate, provide low cost spay neuter programs and a responsible re homing policy should be implemented. It is time for Corfu to face her responsibilities and obligations as a civilized venue.

Visitors to Corfu do not approve of the way animals are treated on your island, or in fact, in all of Greece. We are horrified and repelled by the inhumanity and disrespect. We are not accustomed to the barbaric practices such as those that are employed in Greece to rid the country of surplus, abandoned and farmed animals.

Failure to implement reform will surely result in damage to your tourist industry and will in all likelihood, lead to a decrease in your bottom line - income!