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
