Sterilize More Than 10,000 Stray Dogs Ahead Of The Games In Measures

Athens, host of the 2004 Olympics, launched a plan last week to sterilize more than 10,000 stray dogs ahead of the Games in measures condemned by animal rights groups as ill thought-out and insufficient. The city said the 1.8 million euro ($2.11 million) project, to be officially unveiled on the weekend, will halt the growth of a huge population of stray dogs roaming the streets of the capital before the start of the Olympics. "The sight of thousands of stray animals living without care in the city streets constitutes an insult to us as civilized people," Athens Mayor Dora Bakoyanni, who plans to give 20 strays up for adoption on the weekend, said in a statement.
The project, co-funded by the city and the government, aims to collect, sterilize and tag the dogs, before releasing them again. Two mobile vet units will monitor their health. But animal rights groups say the plan does not cover the needs of strays. "This cannot be just a one-day event with some promises and cute puppies as gifts," Marianna Polichroniadou, head of a newly-founded animal rights group said this week. "It has to be followed up with actions that safeguard the dog's survival long-term and this plan doesn't cut it." Dog lovers say city authorities are also responsible for killing more than 3,000 dogs in the past months, to rid the capital of the animals ahead of next year's Games. "Why have all the dogs suddenly disappeared from the city center and why are they launching this plan now?" Polichroniadou asked.
I guess you could call this the 15 year plan for ridding the city of stray dogs. Fifteen years because that is the average life of a dog. The idea is that if you neuter all the dogs and then set them free again, they won't be able to have puppies and in 15 years they should all be gone, provided no other un-neutered strays join them. The plan that I have heard is to have all pets implanted with a chip so they can be tracked if irresponsible owners let them go. When they are picked up both the pet and the owners will be neutered.
One final note: When I was in Athens in November of 2003 we went out to dinner in Psiri at a famous taverna which specializes in paidakia (grilled lambchops). As usual we ordered too many and after we finished we got a 'doggy bag' to take with us to give to the street dogs. There is an old woman who wanders around Psiri with a half dozen dogs. We found her and asked if she would like the leftovers for her dogs. She looked at the leftovers and asked if it was OK if she ate them too. Of course we said it was. I bring this up only to remind people to remember to take pity on the human strays who may be in need of a helping hand too.