I have decided after much soul searching to write this blog about the real Greece, the Greece hidden behind the pictures of the glossy brochures, and TV commercials.

I will keep it simple and to the point, however I would like to point out that I AM NOT RACIST as I have been accussed of many times, animal abuse has no race.

Animal abuse in Greece is dire beyond your imagination, when I first moved here no-one could have prepared me for what I was about to discover, no-one!!

Greece is corrupt to the core, from the Police to the Government and the church, yes even the Greek Church is corrupt, I will go into this at a later date, for now I will stay with the animals.

For years the compassionate people of Greece have been relentlessly campaigning for the animals, for the Laws to be implemented, for shelters to be built and for HELP!! Unfortunately but not surprisingly these voices have fell on the deaf ears of a Government who was given 14million euro from the EU to build shelters, and basically help the animals. Where has the money gone??? No-one knows!!! We can only guess!!

Vice minister of Agricultre Mr Kiltidis has now been given more money from the EU for the environment, now I have learnt this money is to go to HUNTERS!!! Yes that's right, he is giving it to hunters, why??? Only he knows the reasoning behind this but this issue is not going to go away, people are now taking action not through the Greek Governement but through the EU. (Details of this will be in a later blog).

Now lets discuss what the animals have to endure here in the 'cradle of civilization', well as you can see from the picture above, poisoning is rife, it is everywhere pre and post tourist season. The picture speaks volumes to me, this poor dog is grieving for his lost friend, if only humans had their feelings!!!! Shooting of dogs in the street, beatings of all animals, I have seen and intervened many times usually when a donkey is being beaten, they show no mercy for these poor animals, they are money makers, used to carry silly tourists in the blazing heat. However I have seen first hand how they are really treated and kept, let me tell you it is HELL, PURE HELL!!!!!

Hanging of dogs especially hunting dogs is common, starving dogs, abandoning puppies and kittens either in plastic bags in the garbage or if they feel like it drowning them, yes I have found many, many abandoned kittens and puppies in plastic bags, usually too late!! Children are taught animals are dirty and if you walk around the childs first instinct is to kick an animal.....THE ARGUMENTS I HAVE HAD ARE COUNTLESS I WILL NOT TOLERATE THIS. Children swinging kittens around by their tails, throwing them like they are toys, but what do you expect when their mothers tell them they are 'toys'!!!

People know who abuse animals, there have been numerous incidents where I live of down right torture. A local who had a dog tied up at his 'farm', got loose and killed a chicken, his response.....he tied a stone around the poor dogs neck and threw him in the sea, he was very proud of what he had done!!! Of course no action was taken, this is a tight community and he is friends with the Police (are you getting the picture)? Another incident was another farmer who left his dog to starve to death along with some farm animals, this same person had sex with a donkey one night, it was the talk of the town, the men thought it was great!!!! Again he is 'friends' with the Mayor and Police.....nothing was done!!! Are you begining to understand the corruption which surrounds me and I cannot do a thing about it.....until now maybe. I have made contact with a lawyer who is angry as everyone else about the corruption and animal abuse and so I am hoping I can get somewhere, but don't hold your breath.

The incidents of abuse all over Greece are now out of control, you have only got to look at all the petitions and go on youtube, type in Greek animal abuse and you will find many videos.

I want you to view my photo album, no matter how difficult it may be for you, please look and see what these animals suffer, and watch the video on my page, it speaks volumes.

A society who will not accept these abuses are happening cannot continue to thrive, they will decay and they are......the whole of Greece is decaying, rotting away at the core because the basic human instinct of compassion does not exsist for many people, how can it continue???

There are many other things I wish to add but they will have to wait for another day, all I can say is the great Greek philosophers will be turning in their graves at the Greece of 2008. And to all the animals born into this decayed society God help them.

For now I will finish, but this is to be continued and just for the record so you all know, the Police have all my details here as I am viewed as a 'trouble maker', in other words they don't want the truth to be told.

Thank you dear friends for taking time reading this, it is difficult for me to write but the rest of the story will be told when I feel I can tell it.

Angela (Avenging Angel)