po box 484 corfu 49100 greece     e-mail info@corfuanimalwelfare.com

May 2008 - Boubou Reunited with Owner

Vasilis contacted us to say that he had found this Pekinese wandering in the street. We took the dog and as always went to a vet to check if the dog had a chip so that we could find the owner but there was no chip and no telephone number on its collar. So we took her with us and put an announcement and photo on our website. Just as we were preparing some flyers to spread around, the vet phoned to say that someone had come in with a poster of her lost Pekinese. It was the same dog and the owner quickly came to fetch her Boubou, a five year old dog which never had never been out alone before.Her owner Aristea will now have her dog chipped - as we told her, it doesn't hurt - and will also put a telephone number on its collar. A lesson learned. She was so happy to have Boubou back and is grateful that Vasilis saved her dog from the risks of being in the street that she has become a member of the Ark to support us. Thankfully Boubou's adventure was a short one with a happy ending.

Update: A little later we received this e-mail.

Dear Ark Members,

Thank you all for finding and taking care of our little Pekinese. "Boubou" is my grandmother’s dog and when we lost her we were afraid for both of them (grandma and our puppy). My mother has already become a member of Ark. Please keep up your valuable work.

Thank you again, Victoria Colsuzian.

May 2008 - A Dramatic Rescue

After spending several days and nights high up in a huge olive tree, a little cat called Sophie was finally rescued. She had just arrived here to spend a few days, when she got frightened and ran up the tree. At first we thought she would come back down when she was ready but after a few days nothing had happened and she just stayed there crying for help. We tried all kind of "tricks" to lure her down, including a kind of wooden slope built by a creative man, a hose pipe and lots of water, food hanging just below her, you name it - but Sophie didn't move.

So we decided to call the fire brigade. The man on the other end of the phone said, "Don't worry, she climbed up there so she will climb back down." Even when told that she had already been up there for days he was not impressed. Then we really got desperate, trying to find a long enough ladder to get her down by ourselves. Finally we tried the local fire brigade in Argirades. They immediately came and in no time Sophie was out of her "tree house". When we all thanked them for their help and kindness - even though it was "just a cat" - they replied, "That's what we are here for".

In the photos you can see a small white dot high up in the tree - that is Sophie - and the fireman who climbed up the ladder and managed to grab her by the neck and bring her down, handing her over to her owner Charlie.

This little cat has caused us a history of "trouble". She was found as a very small kitten, fed by bottle, plagued with skin and stomach problems, and was neutered. She had finally grown up to be a beautiful cat and then this! But all's well that ends well and Sophie is reunited with Charlie thanks to the wonderful firemen of Argirades.

April 2008 - Spring Garden Fayre

On May 24 at 2 pm, a Spring Garden Fayre will take place at "Dolce Vita", Poulades (about two kilometres after passing Diellas car park). There will be stalls selling books, clothes, artwork, bric-a-brac, cakes, plants, pet goods, a lucky dip and many, many more bargains. The entrance fee of 2 euros (1 euro for children) includes refreshments. All proceeds will go to The Ark so come and join us for a fun afternoon. The Ark will be there with a special stand with information and photos and letters of the animals we have helped. If you would like to help or want more information you can email us or phone 26610 80129.

March 2008 - Help from The 3rd Corfu Scout Troop

It was a nice surprise to receive a phone call saying that the 3rd Corfu Scout Troop had raised money by selling cards with pictures of animals and wanted to donate it to an animal welfare group. They wanted to see some of the strays so we invited them to come over. They were a very pleasant group of young people and were interested in animal matters. They played with the dogs and cats and learnt more about the work of the Ark. They have offered to help us again. We need the support of young people like these - after all they are the future. Many thanks for the donation which, among other things, meant that some of the dogs could get all the necessary vaccinations. But thanks also for showing such interest in our work. Thank you Maria, Elena, Magda, Stathis, Georgos and Orestis.

March 2008 - The Ark AGM

The Annual General Meeting of The Ark will take place on Wednesday 19 March 2008 at 19.30 pm at the Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Corfu Town. In the event that a quorum is not reached on the 19th then the meeting will be reconvened on the 26th March - same time, same place. All existing and prospective members of the Ark are encouraged to attend. An invitation has been sent to all members. If for some reason you have not received one then please regard this announcement as your invitation. Click here to view the agenda.

March 2008 - Dog Hanging in Kos

On the island of Kos, in the village of Kardamena, animal welfare workers discovered the brutal hanging of nine hunting dogs over a short period of time. The way they had been hung meant it must have taken a long time before the poor dogs were finally dead. The full story is here on the YouTube website. We hope that a lot of people will watch the video and also leave a comment there so the authorities will understand that "the world is watching" and hopefully they will seriously investigate this case.

March 2008 - Food Supply

At the end of January we received this consignment of dog food from Georgina in England - once again delivered for free by Mondial Transport. At the end of February she sent us bags of cat food and Donna - another friend of The Ark - kindly donated another four big bags of dog food. Thank you Georgina, Donna and Mondial for all your support to help our strays through winter.

February 2008 - Thank You for all the Parcels

From time to time we receive parcels with articles for our stray dogs and cats. Things such as medicine, toys, fleece blankets, collars etc. They arrive by post - most often from the UK. We always like to thank these kind people, but often there is no mention of the sender. So this announcement is by way of thanking all you anonymous supporters for your help and kind gestures. It is nice to know that others also care about our Corfu strays.

February 2008 - Ark Shop - Come and Pay a Visit

February 2008 - Toys from Amsterdam

January 2008 - Puppy found

December 2007 - Ark Christmas Lunch - A Great Success

December 2007 - Dog Walk to Help The Ark

November 2007 - Cat Trap Available

November 2007 - Ark Christmas Raffle

Lots of super prizes to be won! Raffle will take place in the Ark Shop on Friday, 21 December 2007 at 12 noon. Tickets 50 cents each.

November 2007 - Ark Christmas Lunch

The Ark Christmas lunch will take place at one o'clock on Sunday 9th December at Captains at Kanoni, (opposite ex-Hilton Hotel). Tickets cost 18 euros (10 euros for children) and include hot and cold food and wine. Last year was the first time it was organised as a lunch event and produced enthusiastic feedback. Please buy your tickets beforehand so we know how many to cater for. Tickets are on sale at the Ark shop, English Imports, the Anglican Church or can be bought by phoning Vivienne on 6975565434. There will be also some nice brand new dog articles for sale, kindly donated by Georgina from the UK. We hope to see you all, enjoying each other's company and supporting the animals as well.

November 2007 - Do you know this dog?

This dog was found on 10 November. Does anyone recognise this Great Dane as we are trying to trace its owner? If you have any information please phone 6979798202.

November 2007 - Christmas Cards

As in previous years, Thea and Brad have sent us special Christmas cards for The Ark. They sell the cards in the UK and with the proceeds they can afford to send us the packs of cards for free. We would also like to thank Mondial for transporting them from the UK to Corfu. This means that all the money we raise from the cards will go to Corfu strays.

This year we have a new design - each pack contains 10 cards with envelopes and costs 4.50 euros (3 pounds).

They are on sale in Corfu at The Ark shop, English Imports, The Anglican Church, in some bars and tavernas or can be ordered here. Alternatively you can phone Lucy Steele MBE on 6975833654.

In Holland the cards are available from stichtingaai.nl. (This is the welfare organisation that has found some of our Corfu strays caring homes and families.)

In the UK the cards can be found in the bar and restaurant of Red Lion Hotel at 78-80 Watling Street, Radlett, Hertfordshire, which is managed by Brad and Thea.

October 2007 - Georgina's October Surprise

Once again a pile of packages has arrived - via Mondial, who transported them for free to help the animals on Corfu. The parcels contained quality food for dogs, puppies and cats as well as another box full of surprises - large, practical dog collars, small collars with bells for cats and matching collars and leads for pups or small dogs. There were also toys for the dogs and cats to play with and dog snacks. In the photo some food is already missing as some people could not wait and the cats had already opened the bags of catfood by themselves! Thanks again to Georgina who told us that she also organised a cat trap which is on the way. All these gifts were well timed (the tourist season has come to an end, meaning that lots of dogs and cats are not being fed as they were in the summer months) and will help us to feed the animals through the winter.

October 2007 - World Animal Day in Corfu

All over the world October 4th is a special day for animals and many people give their pets some extra attention or some special food. We were invited by Dafnila Bay Hotel to the celebration they had organised for their guests and their children. The children had been busy over the previous days making drawings about animals. At 11.00 there was a gathering in front of the hotel, a display of all the drawings and a buffet. The children had painted their faces to look like cats, dogs, tigers, etc. The Ark took along two puppies, a nine year old labrador, a fluffy dog about three years old, two kittens of just a few weeks and a cat with only one eye, so the children had a variety of animals to look at and to enjoy. Of course puppies always attract attention but it was nice to see even the children who were a bit hesitant at first enjoying by the end walking with "their" dog. Altogether it was a pleasent morning for all the guests as well as for the animals. They enjoyed all the attention, stroking and the special dog and cat snacks. (Just the previous day we had received a gift of dog-snacks from some holidaymakers, half of whose luggage was surprises for the animals here.) Let's not only celebrate World Animal Day once a year, but let's keep up this special attention for the animals. The animals in Corfu need it, especially now winter is coming and lots of abandoned dogs and cats will have a hard time to survive the battle against a lack of food, the danger of poisoning and road accidents. Please help us to help the strays throughout the winter.

September 2007 - Lost Dog

This dog has been missing since 24th September. If you see him, please tie him to something - he is very friendly - and phone the owner who misses him very much. She can be contacted on 26630 22461 or 6947375992.

Update - 9 October. This missing dog has now been reunited with its owner.

August 2007 - Animal Mistreatment Complaint Form

There is now an official government complaint form for tourists. Part of it is devoted to animal welfare. We urge you to download, print, fill in and mail this form if you want to report the ill treatment of animals in Corfu (or elsewhere in Greece). For more information from Athens News about this new initiative and an article about how foreign fundraisers are paying for the Greek government's failure to implement animal welfare, click here.

August 2007 - World Animal Day

World Animal Day takes place every year on 4 October. Animal welfare groups, sanctuaries and individuals throughout the world hold special events to heighten public awareness of animal issues and to encourage people to think about how we as humans relate to animals. To find out more click on the image below.

July 2007 - Summer Party Success

The Ark would like to extend their sincere thanks and appreciation to all who attended the annual summer party on 21 July at the Chandris Hotel in Dassia. The party was well attended, the food and liquid refreshment excellent, and a good time was had by all.

July 2007 - More Support from Georgina

Our loyal supporter has once again sent us some useful articles to help our cats and dogs. Fancy collars with matching leads; nice little collars for puppies and cats; and of course more good pet food. Colette added some toys and as usual it was all delivered free to us by the Mondial Transport Company. On top of that we also received by mail a parcel from Georgina full of dewormers and flea treatment, which is really vital when treating the animals. Thank you all.

July 2007 - Ark Summer Party

The Ark's Summer Party will be held at Corfu Chandris Hotel in Dassia at 9 pm on Saturday 21 July. Tickets cost 24 euros and include a full buffet with wine and soft drinks. Everyone is more than welcome and all proceeds will go towards helping the strays of Corfu. We hope to see many Corfiots but would also welcome anyone just visiting the island on holiday. Tickets are available from the Ark Charity Shop, the Anglican Church and the English Imports Shop. You can also phone 26610 80308 or 6979798202. (We would prefer it if you buy tickets in advance so we have an idea how many will be attending the event. But don't worry if you decide to come at the last minute - just turn up the hotel and get the tickets there.)

June 2007 - Horrific Cat And Dog Fur Trade To End

Europe is set to vote for a ban on the import and export of cat and dog fur - described as a "horrific" trade. The fur, brought in mainly from China, will be illegal in Europe from the end of next year when MEPs rubber stamp a proposed ban in Strasbourg.

It is the result of a decade-long campaign, supported by celebrities like Heather Mills McCartney, to end a trade which is estimated to cost the lives of two million cats and dogs a year. Campaigners say the products made from dog and cat fur creep into the consumer market in the UK and Europe because traders deliberately mislabel them. The fur is used in a variety of products, including coats, fur trimmed garments, hoods, hats, gloves, stuffed animals, blankets, toys and items such as novelty key rings and hair accessories.

Undercover footage, filmed by the charity Humane Society International, has revealed the fate of many of the animals. Campaigners say dogs and cats are bred in dank facilities with inadequate food and water. Those conditions optimise the thickness and length of their fur, but make them weaker and sicker in time for slaughter. Cats and dogs are often sold in open air markets. Breeders sell dog flesh to restaurants or food operations. Locals then use the cat and dog fur themselves, or sell to dealers in Europe.

The European Parliament stepped in to end the trade last year. Labour MEP Arlene McCarthy, President of the Parliament's Consumer Affairs Committee, said the campaign has had the support of one million people across Europe. "Many European Citizens are unwittingly deceived into buying garments made out of cat and dog fur due to mislabelling. This law will put an end to these deceptive practices," she said.
Conservative MEP Struan Stevenson has been a long-time campaigner. "The horrific trade in cat and dog fur is about to meet its Waterloo," he said. "Millions of EU citizens who signed petitions, sent e-mails and wrote letters during an eight-year campaign have persuaded Europe's political law-makers to act."

May 2007 - Paula and Jan

Last year Paula and Jan visited Corfu, curious to see where their neighbours' little dog Choco (see Case Histories) had come from. As well as later collecting all kinds of articles for our animals, they adopted a dog which they named Kyk - like on the number plates here on Corfu. This year they spent another week in Corfu and again came loaded with useful gifts. In fact they only had one light suitcase for themselves to allow the extra kilos on the plane! Below you can see little Cofi appreciating a comfortable present, Ayia appreciating the attention, and Mara just passing by. At home in Holland, besides Corfu Kyk, Paula and Jan have three other large dogs and they all get on well together. Thanks again for their help and support.

May 2007 - Canadian Shepherd missing

Missing since Saturday 7th May. An eight month old male Canadian Shepherd (not pedigree), colour beige. He has a collar with his telephone number in a tube. If you know anything about this dog please contact Linda on 26610 94028. His owners have looked everywhere and are very worried.

May 2007 - The Georgina UK - Ark Corfu helpline

Once again some parcels have arrived from Georgina. It is always a surprise to see what she has sent. This time we received dog food, cat food, fleece blankets, toys (thank you too Colette), lots of collars and leads, articles for our shop and many other very useful articles for our strays. We'd like to thank everyone in the UK who contributed to these parcels, especially Marc for making the delivery to the Mondial transport company. (Mondial always bring items to us from the UK for free in order to help our Corfu strays.) The photos show only a part of all the goodies which arrived. Before having a chance to display it all some food and other things had already been taken out to be used for the animals. For instance you can see Julia with a box full of surprises for the stray cats and dogs she is feeding in the north of the island. Thank you - all your support is highly appreciated.

April 2007 - Greek dogs confiscated in Ancona

We had hoped that by now, the 4th of April, that this drama would have been resolved and that these Greek dogs, which were confiscated in Ancona, Italy, would be on their way to their new homes in Germany and Holland. Unfortunately the dogs are still in different, relatively poor conditioned shelters around Ancona and many dogs have been separated from their pups and friends. All these dogs have been rescued and cared for by different Greek animal welfare groups and have the appropriate travel papers for their trips to their new homes. The dogs were being transported from Athens to Germany via Patra and Ancona. However, upon arriving in Ancona the local authorities transported all dogs to Italian shelters. It is now up to an Italian judge whether the dogs will be released and go to their new homes. Italian newspapers are claiming that the dogs will be used for experiments and dog fights - a claim which is both unwarranted and false.

These claims might stem from a small group of Greek animal welfare people who oppose re-homing unwanted Greek dogs abroad. This group represents a very small proportion of Greek animal welfare organizations and often makes false accusations that dogs re-homed by other organizations are used for experiments and fur. They do not believe that Greeks and foreigners can partner with welfare organizations abroad to find such nice homes for these helpless dogs.

Let's hope that all these Greek dogs will be released soon and can continue their journey towards a better future in a caring home.

Latest: A judge has decided that the dogs will not be released. It will now go to appeal in front of another judge, which means waiting again, whilst the dogs are still in those rather poor shelters.

There is more news about this case on the tierhilfe-korfu website.

April 2007 - A Dutch surprise on 1st April

A Dutch couple, Ciska and Peter, heard about The Ark via the Hollander, a Dutch Holiday magazine for tourists in Corfu. They have been coming on holiday to Corfu for years but have always felt sad about
the animal welfare situation on the island. They asked if they could help us and of course we are always grateful for any support. So they started to collect all kinds of useful articles kindly donated by local businesses such as pet shops. In addition they collected money for our strays - Peter used an (empty) tin of dog food as a collection box - and they raised enough to sterilise three dogs. They wrote to say that they would arrive in Corfu on April 1st - luckily it was not a joke! As they came with a van it was possible to bring many things with them. They also brought a variety of articles donated by stichtingAAI which rehomes some of our Corfu dogs, including Scalibor collars which will hopefully prevent our strays from getting unwelcome ticks and sandflies. When the truck was finally unloaded we put all the goodies, including food and "dog snacks", outside under an olive tree and the dogs which were around discovered it immediately! We would like to thank Ciska and Peter for their initiative and all the businesses and individuals who donated money or articles for our Corfu strays. Also a big thankyou again to AAI for their continued support.

March 2007 - Ark AGM

The Annual General Meeting of The Ark will take place at Holy Trinity Church, Corfu Town on Wednesday 21 March at 19.30. On the agenda are: a report on 2006 activities; treasurer's report; financial budget for 2007; auditor's report; and current issues including spaying, poisoning, fostering and rehoming, fundraising, collection boxes, the charity shop, raising public awareness and education. Only members who have up to date subscriptions are entitled to participate in the AGM but subscriptions may also be paid at the AGM. Your attendance at the AGM is essential if the Ark is to continue its work. We hope to see you all in our combined effort to help the animals on our island to a better life.

March 2007 - Barba-Bella Update

The operation on Barba- Bella took place on 28 February and was very successful. It was the first time that such an operation had been performed in Holland on a dog. A kind of "umbrella" was inserted via a vein and opened at the site of the "hole" in the vein going to the heart and lungs. She will be on antibiotics for a few weeks, but she is very well and enjoys her food and walks. She thanks everybody who contributed towards the cost of her operation.

February 2007 - Dog found in Corfu Town - A Happy Ending

The owner of the lost dog has been found and they have been reunited. (The dog had been rescued by Alexandra and her friend when it was in the sea in a hole in the wall at the old port and unable to get on shore.) Hopefully the owner will now microchip his dog and put a telephone number on its collar in case the dog decides to go for another "stroll". Many thanks from everyone for all Alexandra's efforts.

February 2007 - Georgina - our loyal UK sponsor

About six months ago Georgina heard about The Ark and she sent us a parcel of goodies for the dogs. Since then we have regularly received parcels from her - kindly transported for free by Corfu company Mondial. Georgina has been really busy collecting all kind of useful articles, either given by other people, (thank you too Jeannie) or bought on Ebay. In the photo below you can see the surprise which arrived on 20 February - large bags of dry food, special milk for very small puppies and kittens, doggie snacks and dog coats. We'll keep the animals warm, dry and fed through the winter, thanks to Georgina and Mark.

February 2007 - Dog Missing in Corfu

Please help Elisa to find her beloved dog. This lovely, sweet male dog has been missing since early February. He is large - around 45kg and unfortunately he has lost his collar. If you see "Scunitzi", call his name, tie him up (he is a gentle dog so don't be afraid) and phone Elisa on 26610 54700 or 6979762442. Or please contact her if you have any information.

January 2007 - Barba- Bella needs all our help!

Barba was found near Barbati. At first she was very shy but slowly she came to trust the family who fostered her. They tried to find a home on Corfu, but no luck. AAI Holland offered to rehome her but soon after her arrival the vet found that there was something wrong with her heart. The University Clinic in Utrecht diagnosed a failure in the veins around her heart and lungs. This lovely, playful dog is only about one year old, but due to this disease her life expectation is only about another six months. The good news is that the University Clinic can cure the condition with a complex operation. The bad news is that this will be very expensive (despite the discount for AAI). The Dutch website of AAI are asking for donations to help with the cost. We also want to help this Corfu dog so please give generously so Barba-Bella can have a healthy future and be placed with a new family. When Gaby Jacoby heard about this operation, she was the first to offer financial help and made a substantial donation directly to AAI. We all know that she always will care for "her" Corfu strays.

Your gift is most welcome via any of the following accounts:
Holland – Account no. 7276816 stichting aai, Maastricht.
UK - Barclays plc, sort code 20-51-23, Account no. 80795070.
Greece – Alphabank, Account no. 680 00 2002014311a.
Or bring it to our Charity Shop in Corfu.

For further information please call (0030) 26610 80308 or send us an email. We would also appreciate if you send money that you let us know us via email and mention "Operation Barba-Bella”.

January 2007 - Renovated Ark Shop Re-opening

On 23 January The Ark Shop/Info Centre was reopened. The vice-president Ileana Trivoli cut the ribbon. Lucy and her team worked hard to achieve this facelift. We hope that a lot of visitors will come to the shop to buy or donate articles. All proceeds go for the strays of Corfu. To show that we in Corfu have not forgotten Barba/Bella (the dog from Corfu which need an expensive operation in Holland) a colletion box was put out and this, together with a part of the sales from this special day, will be donated to AAI to help our dog to survive.

January 2007 - Sterilisation.

Sterilization of females is very important to try to stop the cyrcle of births. It also reduces the chance of cancer for the dog herself. Below you can see a dog that has just been sterilized. It only has a tiny scar and with a few days of tender love and care (and antibiotics) she will be fine. The other photo shows the dog just before the operation, just starting to go to sleep. Please help us, so more dogs can be sterilized.

January 2007 - A heart warming update from Holland.

At the end of the 2005 season Bibi was found, having given birth in an old car. Some Dutch tourists could not leave this skinny mother and her tiny pups behind and we were asked if there was a solution. We arranged to transport both the mother and puppies to Holland. The Corfiots were welcomed and even given their own centrally heated room. There is a lot of land around the house so they can run and exercise. We are regularly updated on how Bibbi, Lola and Patty are doing. Below you can see these three beauties with one of their new owners.

January 2007 - New Year Greetings from Tessa and Marga.

You might recognise these dogs from a previous story about the family in the south of Holland who adopted two dogs from Corfu, one after the other. When we were in Holland we visited Marga and Tessa and the lovely, caring couple Hetty and Henk who adopted them. Thanks for the warm welcome including the "vlaai" (a kind of fruit tart which is a speciality of that region.) It was moving to see how much they care for those two stray dogs from Corfu. And look how healthy they look – the black one, skinny and poor looking when found is now proud and shiny! They sent us an email with this photo and New Year Greetings to all their friends. Happy New Year to Tessa and Marga too!

January 2007 - Thanks to the residents of Nancy Hall Court.

Carol and Bob, who recently moved to Corfu, got involved with feeding the strays in their village. They talked about the situation of the strays here with their daughter Sam who lives in the UK. Sam had a great idea to raise money for The Ark. She organised a sale and residents of Nancy Hall Court and friends, colleagues and family all donated goods or money. With the money raised we can sterilize about 9 cats or 6 dogs. We are grateful that people so far away are willing to support us. Thank you Sam and all who helped her to help us. Below you can see Sam in Corfu with three of the stray dogs we are fostering and hoping to rehome soon here or abroad. Bambi, (a lovely seven year old with a broken leg, torn ear and missing teeth was found on a busy road), Mara ( a little white female, recently badly injured on a road but recovering well) and Cocco (whose "owner" did not want to care for her any longer). A happy, healthy 2007 to all of you.

December 2006 - Christmas parcels for Corfu’s strays.

What a surprise! We have received a lot of boxes full of dogs and cat food from Trofeklekt Masterfood in Athens. Can you imagine the reaction of our stray dogs when they are fed quality food like Pedigree and Whiskas (dry, tinned and sachets) and treats like Biscrok "cookies"? And top of the bill, Sheba for Xmas lunch for our stray cats! They were kind enough to send so much that we will have ample "leftovers" for a good start to 2007. With this food help and all our volunteers we will try to get the strays through the winter. Thank you all.

December 2006 - Happy in Holland

The little (champagne coloured) pup below was reported to us by The St. George Bay Country Club in Acharavi (you can read her story here) and has since found a lovely family in Holland with lots of land and animals and, most importantly, love and care. Look how proud she is, sitting with her companions and taking over the coach from her owners Hans and Carin.

December 2006 - The Ark Christmas Lunch - a successful event

This year The Ark changed its annual event from Christmas Dinner to Christmas Lunch so children could join in as well. It took place in Captain's Taverna in Kanoni Corfu and a lot of people, including a number of children, enjoyed each other's company as well as food and drinks. Even Father Christmas turned up with his 15 year old little white dog! Thanks to Diana and Viviane for organising this successful way of celebrating Christmas and raising money for the strays of Corfu.

November 2006 - The Ark Shop

The Ark shop has had a “facelift" and we hope everyone will come and have a look, buy something or just have a coffee! The shop is open every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 11 am till 2 pm. The shop will be closed during the last week of December, but from Tuesday 2nd January you are most welcome again. (Please note that from Tuesday 1st February opening hours will change and the shop will be open from 10 am till 1 pm.)

November 2006 - Thank you once again Georgina.

Since Georgina, who lives in the UK, read the article in the magazine Dogs Today, she became one of our most active supporters! Several parcels, with all kinds of useful articles for our strays, were received. Bags of dry food, medical articles, collars etc. and lots of fleece blankets in different sizes. So we can feed the strays and keep them healthy and warm through winter. Thanks to Georgina and to Mondial, who once again helped to transport the goodies!

November 2006 - Food and Walking

Thanks to a major UK pet food supplier for a lot of quality food, transported free by Mondial and organised by Spencer and Wendy. On top of that, on Sunday 13 November, they organised a dog walk in Watford to raise money for the Corfu strays. Thank you walkers.

November 2006 - Poisoning

In Benitses, three stray dogs are taken care of during the winter by Carol and her husband. Carol called us in a panic to say that she was afraid that the smallest dog might have been poisoned. We advised her to rush it to the vet, who we contacted in the meantime. Luckily we were in time. The dog was made to vomit and in its food one could detect the pieces of poison. This type of poisoning is a big problem, whether on purpose or through ignorance. It is so evil and the animals suffer a most dreadful death and even if it is known who has commited the crime, witnesses are afraid to give statements. Let’s try to stop this cruelty.

November 2006 - Thank you Amsterdam

This summer Vanessa and her friend were on holiday in Corfu. Vanessa has a petshop in Amsterdam and via AAI she came in contact with The Ark. She visited some stray dogs and promised help. We received via another tourist a big parcel with all kinds of goodies for the dogs. When we were in Amsterdam we visited her shop and she has been gathering all kind of articles for our strays - too much to carry! Bags of collars, toys, food, shampoo, snacks, just name it. Thank you Vanessa and your team at Kanarie, Faunaland, Amsterdam.

October 2006 - Gifts from Holland

This photo shows presents for the animals which we received from a Dutch pet shop. They have promised to send more. These puppies couldn’t wait to inspect the goodies! Thanks Vanessa.

September 2006 - Electronic tagging ignored in Greece

Many pet owners continue to abandon their cats and dogs in the streets despite a scheme to tag domestic animals. According to estimates there are currently some 300,000 stray animals in the whole of Greece. “This shows the practice of abandoning animals that do not suit us anymore has not disappeared,” said Liana Alexandri, the director of the Greek Animal Lovers Society. Greece now enforces a law that requires pets to be tagged but only some 90,000 animals have had a microchip implanted. About 2 million Greeks own pets. “In the first few months, quite a few people submitted their pets to the process but now the only people who come forward are the new owners of puppies,” said Lambros Antoniadis, a member of the Greek Veterinary Association.

August 2006 - Dogs Today Magazine

A big thankyou to all the Dogs Today readers who sent us parcels with all kinds of useful things for the strays in Corfu. Thank you to Georgina, Pamela and to those who did not mention a name or address. You all have been so kind. (If we don't have your address please mail us so we can add you to our mailing list.)

To read the original article about the Ark that was published in Dogs Today magazine click here.

August 2006 - Car Boot Sale

The mayor of Corfu gave us permission to hold a car boot sale in the Plateia (the main square) of Corfu Town. All kinds of donated articles were on sale at bargain prices, with all proceeds going to the strays of Corfu. Thank you to all who helped us on a day which started with thunderstorms and rain and finished under a beautiful blue sky!