• Don’t bring a stray to your hotel.
• Don’t let a stray follow you around and don’t let it get attached to you. They will be on their own and miss you after you leave.
• Don’t feed a stray if it looks okay. Not all pets wandering the streets are abandoned, and they might as well be fed by someone already.
• If you feed a stray anyway, do it at some distance from the hotels, as many owners don’t like having strays hanging around too close.
• Give appropriate food. E.g.: don’t feed them with bread or cow milk, as pets don’t digest it well.
• If you’re in Chania temporarily, try to find someone who can keep feeding the stray after your leave (shop owner, resident, etc.).

• Contact a local vet and see with him/her what can be done. Check the Links page to find a vet, or use Google Maps.
• If you don’t have a box or a trap to catch the animal, ask the vet to borrow one. Then catch the animal and bring it to the vet.
• If the animal is shy, take time to build trust. Make it used to your presence and bring food. It can take a few days for an animal to trust you.
• Don’t take a kitten or a puppy without its mother! Make sure the animal is old enough to be separated from its mother, or also catch the mother. Observe for several hours from a distance as the mother may just be hunting around for food.
• Pets are not allowed in public transports. If you don’t have a car to bring the animal to the vet, call the pet taxi:
  • Pet taxi: Chania Pet Transport
  • URL: http://chaniapettransport.com/en/
  • Email: chaniapettransport@gmail.com
  • Phone: +30 698 744 5010
• If the animal needs aftercare (like antibiotics), ask the vet if he/she knows someone who can help with fostering. If possible, you can also donate money to the foster home to cover the expenses.
• Report the animal to the police and/or the Municipality of Chania.
  • Municipality of Chania: +30 28213 416656 / tourism@chania.gr
  • Police: +30 28210 46162
• Depending on the level of emergency and if no solution is found, contact Noah’s Little Ark via the Facebook page, or give us a call (+30 6946881155).

Animal abuse is very common in Greece. If you witness animal cruelty, follow the steps below:

• Try to communicate politely with the owner and offer a solution to ease the situation of the animal.
• If possible, take pictures and gather information (address, names, etc.).
• Report the incident to the nearest police station and file a complaint. Give them the info that you got as evidence, and provide them with a copy of the government directive that requires them to investigate:
  • Greek version (to be given to the police)
  • Translation (in English)

We advise you to contact Noah’s Little Ark for assistance. Noah’s Little Ark works only with professionals and fosters who fulfil the lawful requirements precisely. If a rescuer independently chooses to go to a vet who will ‘bend’ the rules to get the animal out faster, then that is entirely the responsibility of the rescuer and the vet concerned. Noah’s Little Ark does not recommend anything but the correct procedure because everyone should understand that there is a high danger for animals without antibodies coming straight off the road with their mothers likely unvaccinated.

We are happy for every little soul to go to a wonderful new home but we don’t wish anyone to go through all the grief, tears and regret caused if the owner loses the animal they wanted to save because they would not wait the required time.

Rehoming too early also raises the possibility of vets abroad saying that animals from southern countries are all sick and then they might close the borders like they did in Norway. The only way to be sure to get a healthy pet is to follow the rules.

The situation of the strays in Greece is alarming and only relies on a few pet rescue organizations and individuals. It is very important that, as a tourist, you raise your voice and encourage the government to act, even after your stay.

• Complain to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Greece: mintourismgr@gmail.com
• If relevant, complain to the travel agency that organized your stay. They also have a role to play in pressuring the government!
• Go public as much as possible: write blog posts or newspaper articles, record and publish videos, spread the word on Facebook and Twitter, etc. The world needs to know how bad it is for the strays in Greece, and how desperately in need of support Silke Wrobel and Noah’s Little Ark are.