PAWS has invited the 2 mayoral canditates Ioannis Rangoussis and Louis Kontos to reply to the following interview.
Unfortunately, the answers were never provided!
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After careful and sustained monitoring of the actions and inactions relevant to stray animal population on Paros, PAWS has concluded that there is a deficit of humane and ethical standards in the field of animal welfare.
Generally there are 3 opinions regarding stray animals: |
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interference in the lives and circumstances of animals is morally questionable |
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animals are irrelevant and deserve no care unless they are working animals |
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stray dogs and cats are the results of previous interference and therefore we have clearly the moral obligation to intervene for their welfare and the control of their births. Anyhow this is the explicit legal obligation of municipalities according to national laws. |
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The reality is that the first 2 view have worldwide proven wrong, unacceptable and destructive. Please confirm that the third view is going to be the one expressing the municipality in the case where you will be elected mayor. |
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Let's go to a real situation. It has happened on August 12 when a kitten was trapped since 3 days in a shaft of the Ventouris square. It was clear that without intervention it was going to have a horrible death under the eyes of the neighborhood's shopkeepers and persons walking by which are asking when help will come. I called and asked for help the fire brigade, the water company and the municipality. An officer of the fire brigade claimed not to have the suitable tools for the operation, a senior executive of the water company denied to send someone for help and a municipal counselor claimed that it was difficult to do anything. The deficit of humane and moral standards showed up, with our city that finds normal to let die an animal in one of its central squares to avoid putting at work one of its workers for 10 minutes. Finally, a shopkeeper of the neighborhood with the help of a small jackhammer and the legal cover of PAWS released the animal. |
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We would like you please to evaluate the responses of each of the 3 services and to confirm that next time a rescue operation for an animal will be needed, the municipality will offer its services as it is expected from a city with a humane face |
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Until now all animal welfare services on Paros are provided exclusively by volunteers and financed by private donations. If any business owner, resident or visitor to the Island experiences a problem regarding a stray animal, PAWS are the only people they can contact. The facilities which have been used up until now will shortly become unavailable, rendering the limited services provided in recent years, no longer possible.
Paros urgently needs a sterilization clinic to help enforcing the programme "sterilization, identification and re-release of strays". This facility, (an obligation according to national government policy), can also be used as a temporary shelter for animals in the PAWS "Re-homing Programme". |
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Are you in a position to warranty the fast implementation of such facilities bearing in mind that the current donated spaces will no longer be available and moreover that it is an obligation for municipalities according to laws 3170/2003 and 3463/2006. |
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As it was said in the previous question, for the last 10 years PAWS has been providing alone animal welfare services on Paros, something usually considered as basic and essential services in any developed society. For the first time 2 years ago the town hall agreed to subsidize PAWS with an amount of €6.000 to cover the budget of the facilities used to keep temporary the dogs under its. Whilst we celebrated the beginning of the collaboration between the municipality and PAWS, we were very upset because it took two years for the amount to be actually paid.
Until the sterilization clinic becomes a reality, PAWS needs an immediate and regular subsidy of €12.000 a year to pay veterinarian bills and keep available the currently donated facilities. |
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Can you please promise the recurring funding of PAWS with an annual amount of €12.000 starting from this year and until the municipal facilities are implemented? |
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For 2 years dog owners have been required by law to have their dog registered using a microchip. We believe that the application of the law will decrease the number of irresponsible dog owners who are the main source of unwanted dogs. |
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Can you please confirm that you will support the application of the law on electronic tagging of pets? |
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An issue has widely arisen with Pet Shops offering animals for sale and concerning the conditions in which animals are brought up and cared as well as issues concerning smuggling of wild animals. On Paros a separate issue arises with illegal hunting dogs’ kennels. |
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Please confirm that as mayor of Paros you will care for the strict observation of the regulations for licensing and running pet shops offering animals for sale as well as kennels. |
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For some years it has been widely accepted that circuses using wild animals are inhumane due to the mistreatment of the animals: the animals are physically abused, often drugged, kept in cramped and unhygienic accommodation, denied their natural environment. It is not acceptable anymore that animals can be treated this way purely for the entertainment of ill educated people. |
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Can you please clearly declare that during your term of office you will not grant license for any such circuses to operate on Paros? |
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