Friends of Animals / Filozoikos NF

One day Kits Kitty was invited to join a group on Facebook called Thelma and Louis. Two abandoned animals living in a Vet’s parking lot in Kavala Greece. A dog and a cat. It was heartbreaking and compelling to read how one young lady decided to make a change in their lives. She pulled everyone together to find these two unlikely companions a new home.

We decided that Eleni Pele, should tell their story so as to be an inspiration to others. We can all do so much more than just be ‘armchair activists’! With the help of social networking groups such as Facebook and YouTube, our ability to make change is within our fingertips. So never say ‘I can’t do anything’, say to yourself ‘How can I do something?’. There will always be someone on a different computer that will tell you and help you, you just need to take that first step.

Tell us a little bit about Eleni Pele - who are you, where do you live, how old are you, your hobbies, and why do you help the animals? (Πες μου μερικά πράγματα για τον εαυτό σου-ποια είσαι, που ζεις, πόσο χρονών είσαι, τα χόμπυ σου, και γιατί βοηθάς τα ζώα;)

My name is Eleni Pele and I live in Kavala. I am 28 years old and I like helping animals because I think that humans-animals-environment; we are all connected as a whole. (Ζω στην Καβάλα, είμαι 28 χρονών και μου αρέσει να βοηθάω τα ζώα γιατί πιστεύω πως άνθρωποι-ζώα-περιβάλλον είμαστε ένα.)

How did you first hear or see Thelma and Louis? (Πως πρωτοάκουσες ή είδες τη Θέλμα και τον Λούη)

I heard about Thelma and Lewis from an Aunt of mine who lives next to Elizabeth the Vet. So, we went to see them together and all I was thinking was that I should have brought my camera with me! (Για τη Θέλμα και τον Λούη άκουσα από τη θεία μου που μένει δίπλα στο κτηνιατρείο της Ελισσάβετ. Έτσι την πήρα και πήγαμε μαζί να τα δούμε και αυτό που σκεφτόμουν ήταν ότι την επόμενη φορά έπρεπε οπωσδήποτε να έχω μαζί μου φωτογραφική μηχανή.)

How did you feel when you met them? (Πως ένιωσες μόλις τους γνώρισες)

I was expecting to find something totally different from what I saw. I was expecting to see two animals curled up in a corner, sad, scared and incapable of trusting humans and if we approached them, they would not receive affection and petting. On the contrary! I met them and they had the joy of living in their faces! They would not let me feel sorry for them but only admire them. I instantly adored them both. (Όταν πρωτοπήγα εκεί περίμενα να δω κάτι άλλο και αντίκρισα κάτι εντελώς διαφορετικό. Περίμενα να δω δυο ζώα, κουρνιασμένα σε μια γωνιά, αξιολύπητα, φοβισμένα, ανίκανα να εμπιστευτούν και να πλησιάσουν άνθρωπο, χωρίς όρεξη για χαρές και χάδια. Αντιθέτως αντίκρισα τη χαρά της ζωής προσωποποιημένη στη Θέλμα και τον Λούη. Δεν με άφησαν να τους λυπηθώ, μόνο να τους θαυμάζω και να τους λατρέψω κατευθείαν.)

Describe the steps you took to make others aware of how Thelma and Louis were living.(Περιέγραψε τα βήματα που έκανες για να δείξεις στους άλλους το πώς ζούσαν η Θέλμα και ο Λούης)

Click here for YouTube video of Thelma and Louis

The only thing I did was take a video and some pictures. Then I added a happy and optimistic song to the video. Next thing I did was to upload the video on the internet and forward it to animal lovers on Facebook. (Το μοναδικό πράγμα που έκανα ήταν να τραβήξω ένα βίντεο και μερικές φωτογραφίες. Έπειτα θέλησα να «ντύσω» το βίντεο με ένα χαρούμενο και αισιόδοξο τραγούδι. Μετά το ανέβασα στο ίντερνετ και το κοινοποίησα σε φιλόζωους φίλους στο Facebook.)

Did you get discouraged or sad at the beginning when help did not happen quickly?
(Αποθαρρύνθηκες ή στεναχωρήθηκες στην αρχή όταν δεν βρήκες άμεσα βοήθεια)

There was big impact once word got around about Thelma and Louis, but we wanted the best for them. So we had to double and triple check the family that would either adopt or host them. (Υπήρξε μεγάλη ζήτηση απλά επειδή θέλαμε το καλύτερο, έπρεπε να γίνει ενδελεχής έλεγχος της οικογένειας είτε που θα τα υιοθετούσε είτε που θα τα φιλοξενούσε.)

How long did it take to get people interested in helping Thelma and Lewis? (Πόσο καιρό πήρε ώστε να ενδιαφερθεί ο κόσμος να βοηθήσει τη Θέλμα και τον Λούη)

The story of Thelma and Lewis moved people and is continuing to move and motivate people. The picture and video of their situation spoke for itself. I did not have to explain many things. Everybody wanted to help and they did by forwarding the video everywhere. They also suggested that I should open a bank account and start collecting money for their care. (Η ιστορία της Θέλμας και του Λούη συγκίνησε πολύ και συγκίνησε νομίζω αμέσως. Η εικόνα και η κατάσταση μιλούσε από μόνη της. Δεν χρειάστηκε να εξηγήσω και πολλά πράγματα. Όλος ο κόσμος θέλησε να βοηθήσει και όντως βοήθησε κοινοποιώντας και προωθώντας το βίντεο παντού. Όλοι κατευθείαν μου πρότειναν να ανοίξει ένας λογαριασμός ώστε να μαζευτούν χρήματα.)

What kind of suggestions did you receive about how to help Thelma and Louis? (Τι είδους προτάσεις δέχτηκες για τη βοήθεια της Θέλμας και του Λούη)

They suggested that we should all help and collect money to buy them their wheelchairs or to have them temporarily in a shelter until they are adopted. Whatever it takes to keep them off the streets was the main point. (Μου πρότειναν να βοηθήσουμε όλοι οικονομικά ώστε να αγοραστούν ειδικά καροτσάκια για τη Θέλμα και το Λούη ή για να φιλοξενηθούν έστω και προσωρινά σε καταφύγια ζώων μέχρι να υιοθετηθούν. Αρκεί να μην βρίσκονται στο δρόμο.)

Did you receive bad email from people who do not like animals? (Δέχτηκες κακή αλληλογραφία από ανθρώπους που δεν αγαπούν τα ζώα)

No, I did not have any bad feed-back. The only negative commentary was that some people thought they should have been euthanized from the beginning so that they would not suffer since they did not have a family to support them. (Όχι δεν δέχτηκα καθόλου κακή επικοινωνία. Το μόνο αρνητικό που ειπώθηκε ήταν ότι κατά την άποψη μερικών έπρεπε από την πρώτη στιγμή να γίνει ευθανασία ώστε να μην ταλαιπωρούνται τη στιγμή που δεν έχουν οικογένεια.)

How was the decision made to send Thelma and Louis to the family in Germany?(Πως πάρθηκε η απόφαση να σταλούν η Θέλμα και ο Λούης σε οικογένεια στη Γερμανία)

We chose a German family that was recommended to us by a trusted institution that had worked successfully in the past and with great cooperation with the Aesopos Animal Lover Union at the animal shelter in Kavala. (Λόγω της καλής συνεργασίας, της απεριόριστης εμπιστοσύνης και του ελέγχου που γίνεται ανά πάσα στιγμή από το σωματείο ¨Αίσωπος¨ η κτηνίατρος αλλά και η προσωπική μου άποψη ήταν να εμπιστευτούμε την οικογένεια που θα μας υποδείκνυε ο οργανισμός με τον οποίο συνεργάζεται το σωματείο της Καβάλας.)

Who would you like to thank for the happy ending to the Thelma and Louis saga? (Ποιον θα ήθελες εσύ προσωπικά να ευχαριστήσεις για την καλή κατάληξη που είχαν η Θέλμα και ο Λούης)

I have many people to thank! When I started this I did not have many animal lover friends. During this ordeal I have made many and I wish to thank:
* Sweetest Mrs. Joanna Siokou who helped me and advised me for updating the Thelma and Louis team. She supported me and she has pushed the issue very much and did her best to find a good and fast solution even though this meant giving Thelma and Louis priority over all the rescued animals she is taking care off and has to re-home.
* Elizabeth the Vet for the immense interest and support she offered.
* Mrs. Pauline Kelly-Ward - who sent the wheelchair for Louis from London.

* Mrs. Ritsa Anestopoulou - who sent the wheelchair for Thelma from Athens.
* Wonderful Mrs. Vasso Hatzimanoli and her daughter Dolly that came to the airport and offered the transportation crate for Thelma to be able to travel to Germany . (Also Mrs. Hatzimanoli, due to her previous experience with similar cases, she had offered to adopt Thelma and Lewis herself).
* Ant1 Radio, the broadcast Syggatikidia and Argyro Morou, who furthered the cause by interviewing the Elizabeth the Vet.
* Mr. Kostas Yitisoglou from the Aesopos Kavala Shelter who instantly after watching the video and listening about the case, forwarded the issue to his colleagues and putting aside the Union’s immediate needs. He took over Thelma and Louis’ transportation to the Thessaloniki airport.
* Wonderful Mrs. Sofia and Mrs. Corina of Animal Aid e.v. who took over the responsibility of finding a home for Thelma and Lewis even though they have their animal operations and they also raised funds for our little friends.
* Of course Suzanne who persuaded Sofia and Corina to look upon Thelma and Lewis’ case and find a home for them.
* Every single one who forwarded the message and e-mailed me asking for news and what they can do to help.
* And OF COURSE the FAMILY that adopted Thelma and Lewis and they were expecting them with great anticipation and they are doing everything possible for their rehabilitation. There are no words to describe the gratitude we all feel for this family.

Click here for YouTube footage of Thelma and Louise at the airport.

Έχω να ευχαριστήσω πολλούς. Όταν ξεκίνησα το θέμα δεν είχα και πάρα πολλούς φιλόζωους φίλους. Στη διάρκεια απέκτησα πολλούς. Να ευχαριστήσω λοιπόν:
*την γλυκύτατη κ. Joanna Siokou που με βοήθησε και με συμβούλεψε για την ενημέρωση της ομάδας Θέλμα και Λούης, με στήριξε, προώθησε πολύ το θέμα και πίεσε για να βρεθεί μια γρήγορη και καλή λύση αφήνοντας πίσω τα τόσα πολλά ζώα που είχε και η ίδια να σώσει και έπρεπε να προωθήσει. Και επίσης για την πολύτιμη βοήθεια, το ατελείωτο ενδιαφέρον και τη στήριξη που πρόσφερε στην Ελισάβετ, την κτηνίατρο.
*την κ. Pauline Kelly-Ward που έστειλε από το Λονδίνο καροτσάκι για τον Λούη
*την κ. Ritsa Anestopoulou που έστειλε από την Αθήνα καροτσάκι για τη Θέλμα
*την υπέροχη κ. Vasso Hatzimanoli και την κόρη της Dolly που ήρθαν στο αεροδρόμιο και πρόσφεραν στη Θέλμα το καλάθι μεταφοράς της στη Γερμανία. Επίσης η κ. Hatzimanoli λόγω προγενέστερης εμπειρίας της με παρόμοιο περιστατικό ζήτησε να πάρει τη Θέλμα και το Λούη και να τα αναλάβει η ίδια.
*το ραδιόφωνο του Ant1 και την εκπομπή Συγκατοικίδια από την Αργυρώ Μώρου η οποία προώθησε το θέμα με τη συνέντευξη της κτηνιάτρου.
από το φιλοζωικό σωματείο Καβάλας ¨Αίσωπος¨ τον Κώστα Γιτίσογλου που όταν του έδειξα το βίντεο και του εξήγησα την περίπτωση αμέσως προώθησε το θέμα στους συνεργάτες του παρακάμπτοντας τις επείγουσες ανάγκες του σωματείου και ανέλαβε τη μεταφορά τους στο αεροδρόμιο της Θεσσαλονίκης
*τις υπέροχες και μοναδικές Sofia και Corina της Animal Aid e.v. που ανέλαβαν να βρουν οικογένεια στη Θέλμα και τον Λούη ώστε να τους γίνουν οι απαραίτητες εγχειρήσεις και επίσης έκαναν έρανο και μάζεψαν χρήματα για τους μικρούς μας φίλους.
*φυσικά τη Suzanne που έπεισε την Sofia και την Corina να ασχοληθούν με τη Θέλμα και το Λούη και να τους βρουν οικογένεια
*όλο τον κόσμο που προώθησε το μήνυμα, που μου έστελνε e mail και ζητούσε να μάθει νέα και που ρωτούσε με ποιο τρόπο μπορεί να βοηθήσει
*και τέλος ΦΥΣΙΚΑ την ΟΙΚΟΓΕΝΕΙΑ που υιοθέτησε τη Θέλμα και τον Λούη τους περίμεναν με μεγάλη αγωνία και κάνουν ότι είναι δυνατό για την αποκατάστασή τους. Δεν μπορεί να ειπωθεί με λόγια η ευγνωμοσύνη που νιώθουμε όλοι γι αυτήν την οικογένεια

Who do you think Thelma and Louis would like to thank for their new home? (Ποιον νομίζεις ότι θα ήθελαν να ευχαριστήσουν η Θέλμα και ο Λούης για το καινούριο τους σπίτι)

I think they wish to thank Elizabeth the Vet that rescued them and given them the chance to live and to everyone mentioned above who did their best to find them a home. (Κατ΄αρχήν πιστεύω πως θα ευχαριστούσαν την κτηνίατρο που τους έσωσε, τους έδωσε το δικαίωμα στη ζωή. Έπειτα όλους τους ανωτέρω που ενδιαφέρθηκαν για να βρεθεί οικογένεια.)

What do you have to say to the vet’s and staff at the clinic where Thelma and Lewis used to live?
(Τι έχεις να πεις στην κτηνίατρο και το προσωπικό της κλινικής της όπου ζούσαν η Θέλμα και ο Λούης)

I have to congratulate the Vet who is against euthanasia and gave them a chance at life. She could have finished this case from the very beginning with an injection. She chose the hard road of operations, rehabilitation and relief. (Να πω μπράβο στην κτηνίατρο που είναι κατά της ευθανασίας και δίνει ευκαιρίες και δικαίωμα στη ζωή. Ενώ θα μπορούσε να τελειώσει την υπόθεση από την αρχή με μία ένεση επέλεξε τον δύσκολο δρόμο των εγχειρήσεων, της αποκατάστασης και της περίθαλψης.)

What advice can you give to other young people who wish to help but feel that they cannot? (Τι συμβουλές μπορείς να δώσεις στα νέα άτομα που επιθυμούν να βοηθήσουν αλλά νιώθουν πως δεν μπορούν)

When I decided to make the case of Thelma and Louis known, I had no idea what outcome this would bring. Luckily the animal lover’s community is united and fighting for animal rights and this helped me a lot. We can all help and we all have to help. We can and we must become their voice!
Και εγώ στην αρχή όταν αποφάσισα να ξεκινήσω αυτό το θέμα δεν ήξερα τι θα αντιμετωπίσω. Ευτυχώς όμως η κοινωνία των φιλόζωων είναι ενωμένη, μάχεται για τα ζώα και με βοήθησε πολύ. Όλοι μπορούμε να βοηθήσουμε και όλοι οφείλουμε να βοηθήσουμε. Μπορούμε και πρέπει να γίνουμε η φωνή τους.

Why is it whenever I leave Athens, my back-up man goes into kitty rescue mode?! Last time, kitty Oscar rescue required a commando precision extraction against a potential torturer - this time sweet little Blanca hid under a car, watched Miss Snickers through the fence, and screamed until Vol V came and snapped her up.

She is currently at Kiki K.’s in a little cage after her vaccinations. She has the standard 10 days of antibiotics and then will be available for adoption.

She is completely healthy, scrappy, and ready for kitty cat action. If you always wanted a tiny white ball of fur - here she is!

Call Kiki at 694-494-9741.

Hello Friends of Animals Nea Filadelphia,

Winter is definitely is here and that means our Fall Bazaar & Wag-A-Thon are history and the Christmas Bazaar season is just starting! Which means we will need volunteers to help at the Shelter while the senior members make crafts and attend to the bazaars. To sign-up to volunteer, just fill in the email at www.friendsofanimals-nf.com/contactus.html.

On World Animal Day, October 4th, we held the second Blessing of the Animals to be held in Athens (first was 5 years ago) at the St. Paul’s Anglican Church in the centre. The Reverend Canon Malcolm Bradshaw prepared a fantastic sermon for the animals and people attending. The beautiful puppy Artemis was adopted immediately after her receiving her blessing and is now named Franchesa to honour St. Frances of Assisi, patron saint of the animals and environment. Photos are at www.friendsofanimals-nf.com/blessingoftheanimals.html. We are planning a Greek Orthodox Blessing on December 20th to honour St. Modestos, the Greek saint of animals and livestock. Event details at www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=162974721105&ref=mf.

The Fall Bazaar and WagAThon, October 10/11th, raised over 10,000e and we in turn spread the love to others who generously work with the strays at the KAZ Shelter, Zoofilikos Syllogos Elefsinas & Ethelontes, and Stray.gr. Special thanks to the young girls of Azor’s Angels Team who raised over 2,000e and Team Paratrixa who broadcast an episode about our event (paratrixa.skai.gr/default.asp?pid=15&vdID=501). A big thank you to the pharmacies, veterinarians, and suppliers who waited patiently for us to cover our summer bills. To view a history of the week-ends event, visit www.friendsofanimals-nf.com/WagAThon.html. We made many new friends and signed up volunteers and three dogs and three cats found homes. We are especially happy for Apostoli, the abandoned hunting dog who arrived as a puppy over three years ago! He is so happy at his new farm home, running all day with no chain!

We created a POSITIVE ACTION petition at www.thepetitionsite.com/1/2010WagathonAthensGreece to gather support for a city wide Wag-A-Thon for 2010 to take place on World Animal Day. Can you imagine the Wag-A-Thon in the centre of Athens with 1,000’s of people and dogs all walking to raise money for the 300,000 strays of this country? It would phenomenal, groundbreaking and history making! Support our Petition and show the whole world that Greece’s dog owners are not ashamed of the love their feel for their pets and refuse to be bullied by those who live around them!

We will be attending many Christmas Bazaars this season. For the current list please visit www.friendsofanimals-nf.com/calendar.html. So far we have the French Community Bazaar, ACS, SPAZ Shelter, Helios Primary School NF, and our own Bazaar that will be on December 19 & 20th in Nea Filadelphia.

If you are a radio listener, Palace Radio 91.4, Arrena 89.2, STYL 104.8, Love 97.5, Palmos 105.4, and Zygos Fm 100 are all broadcasting our Adopt! Don’t Shop! message created by volunteers until Dec. 15th.

We have so many dogs that need good homes, from playful puppies to low maintenance seniors, please find it in your hearts to visit on Sundays and bring your friends and neighbours to meet our rescued dogs.

Currently our Open House hours are from 4pm until darkness falls until the end of November and then we will switch to 3pm to 5pm for December. If you wish to come during the week from 9am to 5pm, call Kiki at 694-494-9741.

On our Group profile photo album, you will see 2 new posters for dogs waiting for adoption. Starting next week I will post a new one in English & Greek for you to email to others and print for postering around your school or neighbourhood. (These first two are in English only because they were created for the new Friends of Animals Club at ACS).

One last thing, before you leave the Petition Site, sign this petition too: www.thepetitionsite.com/28/please-stop-the-closure-of-our-cyprus-animal-shelter. It is so urgent and important that it really needs your attention immediately. The lives of over 200 dogs on Argos are at stake.

Best wishes to your and your families in the upcoming holiday season.

Helen, Full-time Shelter Volunteer

(If you wish this email in Greek to send to others, please email me and ask. When the translation has been completed, I will forward to you!)

“This is Bowser, the office pitbull, crashed out behind the receptionists at the kennels.”

To whom it may concern,

My name is ****, I just got back home from a visit to the dog shelter in Nea Filadelfia.I thought that since I have a very rare afternoon off, better spend it doing something worthwhile.I reached the shelter just after 4 pm as you suggest in your Facebook profile in order to offer any help, spend some time with the dogs, walk them, feed them or whatever.

However, I was greeted by sheer rudeness-to put it politely!!!- by the lady who was there preparing the dogs’ food and to be honest, I was really shocked.I asked her if she needed any help which she turned down saying in greek ‘I don’t believe anyone, don’t need any help’.I was thouroughly disappointed.I was going to encourage the listeners of my radio show to do the same but I am not going to now.I will encourage them to adopt a dog though.

Reply from Kits Kitty:

I am sorry that you had a bad experience at the Shelter but I can only begin by quoting what it says on our website in the Calendar section about dogwalking:

“Week day dog walking is open to anyone with a few hours per week to donate exercising the dogs. If you have not walked before at the Shelter, you must first SMS Helen before 3pm on the day you wish to come at 699-591-7437, so she can attend to set-up. (Each dog has a different personality, possible injuries and different work-out plan that must be learned before volunteers can solo walk during the week).”

The sms’ing in advance is very important because we literally have no volunteers that come to the shelter to assist. I only come when someone sms’s because I work fulltime and also volunteer online for 6 hours per day fundraising and marketing. The lady who prepares the food is extremely overworked - 7 days a week 2 shifts per day of 4 hours. She literally does not have the time or the mental/physical energy to take on dogwalking coaching for people who drop by. Also, we have no electricity at the Shelter, so if the feeding is not complete by the time darkness falls, she must work in the dark, which is dangerous.

A Shelter supervisor is usually there between 4-5pm to prepare medicines and check the health status of the dogs, but there again, she will not have the time to assist in dogwalking, as most of our supervisors also work fulltime jobs in the city.

I am Kits Kitty and I created the dogwalking program at the Shelter. I am currently in Canada fundraising for the shelter and I have left my mobile with my assistant Vol T, who if contacted by sms, would have contacted one of our semi-regular volunteers to see if they could meet you at the shelter and if she couldn’t find anyone, she would have asked that you come on Sunday, which is the regular newcomers meeting day at 4pm.

So please do not judge us too harshly! We are trying to do the best we can with no help.

Perhaps you could use your radio show to relate your experience to your listening audience so that they can understand that we are in such desperate need of volunteers. This would benefit the shelter greatly. Adoptions are fantastic but if there is no one here to interview the prospective parents or show them around we are at a loss again and the cycle continues.

I am truly sorry for your lost time and effort and I totally commend you for coming to the Shelter.
As yours is the first email I have received like this in 8 months, you can tell that your coming by to help is so rare that we really didn’t expect it!

If you would like to speak with the founder of the Shelter, Kiki K, please call her at 694-494-9741 and she can give you some insight into the problems faced by our organization and how we are trying to help.