Saturday, April 20, 2013

Cretan Animal Protection - a personal story.


Cretan Animal Protection – a personal story.

It isn't until you are personally affected that the work of charitable organizations leaps out in front of you, and in bold print shouts: ‘NOW YOU KNOW WHY WE NEED TO RAISE FUNDS.

David and I made the decision to relocate from Crete to England, last year. We gave ourselves twelve months to make all the arrangements. But somehow we just could not face up to the fact that we would have to find homes for our four dogs. As time went on, the weight of losing our loyal friends just got heavier and heavier. Zouki was twelve years old, her master’s companion since a pup of six weeks, rescued from a barrel. Maisie, I took in three years ago, a street dog also rescued after being found in an appalling state of undernourishment  and covered in ticks and fleas. And later editions (if you have two dogs another two are easy) Percy and Phoebe, now two years old.

It was obvious that our little pack of dogs could not come to England with us, and even though we would be returning to Crete on a regular basis, finding someone to look after them while we were away was not an option, especially as Zouki was quite sick. The flat we shall move into in England, is small, and no animals allowed, so we knew that a solution had to be found. As the months went by and our moving date got nearer and nearer, we had to start making inquiries.

Bazaars in aid of cats and dogs are always being held here and there in Crete. We had never frequented them, though had, on occasion, sent spring clean donations, ‘Why am I keeping this? It can go to the animal bazaar,’ that sort of thing. I began to ring around the various organizations that I’d heard of: Hector’s House, ‘Sorry, full, full, full.’ I tried Walking with Donkeys, on the off chance that they may take even one of my dogs. ‘Sorry, full, full, full.’ The answer was always the same wherever I looked.

Then someone told me that dogs were being found homes in Holland, and transported by air, all arranged by Cretan Animal Protection, a registered charity whose co-ordinator and fund raiser is Ann Adamakis, Vice President. I made contact with her. ‘We can put pictures of your dogs on our site,’ she said, ‘but we have so many cats and dogs up for adoption that it may take some time.’ I was so glad of any positive help that that night I photographed my little doggies, and let Ann have the pictures. Very soon Lorraine Benson, President, based in England, was on my case. She deals with all the admin and re-homing of the animals.

It has been a roller coaster of a month, full of emotion, and yes, plenty of tears. Percy was first to be noticed. He is now with a loving family in Holland. And today my sweet Maisie will begin her great adventure; she has been taken in by a family in the Isle of Man, and is to be transported, along with other lucky dogs, overland. That leaves Phoebe, and I just know that there is a home out there for her. As for our old dog, Zouki, God intervened, and we lost her six weeks ago, she had been ill for almost a year. Her death was surely a God send to both her and us.

So, now I am fully aware of the great work that the Cretan Animal Protection, (working as one with Friends of the Animals – President Ann Adamakis), and other such organizations are doing.  I have every respect for all the individuals involved, with special thanks to Lorraine for her kind communication every step of the way. Their love and devotion to helping all the stray cats and dogs of Crete, not to mention all the donkeys that are being so well looked after by the owners of Walking with Donkeys, is taking ‘love’ to another dimension. From now on I shall do what I can to support Cretan Animal Protection in particular, as they have taken a great weight from our shoulders in finding homes for our little ones. They not only deserve a pat on the back, but help from every quarter.

Please take a look at the website, www.cretananimalprotection.com  and help in any way you can. Gifts of blankets, towels for bedding, dog and cat food both tinned and biscuits, pasta or dog rice, are always welcome. You may even be in a position to foster an animal for a few weeks while it is waiting to be re-homed, (all costs paid for by the charity), or you may want to make a donation of money, however small, every little helps. Click on: www.cretananimalprotection.com today, to find out all about the good work that is going on behind the scenes.

With love, admiration and a big THANK YOU,
From Jane and David Sharp

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