Dear Mayor

This letter aims to inform you that since last Wednesday 18 July and with frustration PAWS does not have anymore the ability to carry on with its exceptionally successful rehoming program of  unwanted dogs of our island for financial reasons and more precisely because of the refusal of the veterinarian to offer more credit to PAWS.
The society’s account at the veterinarian comes-up at this moment to more than €7.000 and since it is not anymore possible to have the strays vaccinated and microchiped and have a passport issued for them, it is not anymore possible to send them abroad; moreover it is not possible to remove strays or puppies from the streets or the countryside because the private kennel where they can be kept until their departure is already full. It is a shame because especially this year almost 100% from the requests for help were given the best possible solution. From January 1 up to July 17, 88 animals were recovered from which 71 are already in either their temporary foster family or their final family, one has died and 16 are still at Barbara Burki’s transit kennel.
The situation is particularly critical because during this part of the year each lost expedition is irreplaceable, given that they use volunteering travellers in charter flights from Santorini and Mykonos which will stop in 2-3 months.

We are aware of the financial difficulties that faces currently our municipality but we also believe that the municipality needs to reconsider the priority it is giving to the issue of the unwanted stray animals and thus to the financing of PAWS.

It is necessary that the municipality gives immediately guarantees to the veterinarian so that he doesn’t interrupt his services and provoke the collapse of PAWS rehoming program.
Additionally, unless the program is really discontinued, as predictions are that the number of rehomed dogs might reach this year 150 dogs, there is an urgent need to ensure for the year 2007, on top of the €6.000 already granted but still not paid, an extra €9.000 which will be required to cover both the veterinary expenses and the expenses of the private temporary shelter.

We want to hope that you will comprehend the issue and that you will give it the priority it needs so that Paros doesn’t find itself in the unacceptable situation where there will be no service able to handle correctly the almost daily cases with strays.

Looking forward for your prompt and positive respond,