Many people have contacted us regarding the temporary two-month suspension of bringing kittens to the Dimos neutering sessions. This decision has been made by Arche Förderverein Arche Noah Kreta e.V. for the following reasons:
Kitten parvovirus (Feline Panleukopenia) is a highly contagious and often fatal disease, particularly in young, unvaccinated kittens. It causes severe symptoms including bloody diarrhoea, vomiting, extreme lethargy, fever (or later dangerously low body temperature), loss of appetite, dehydration, weakness, rapid weight loss, and nasal discharge. The disease can progress very quickly and is frequently fatal despite treatment; veterinary care is supportive only.
Every year, our young stray cats are devastated by parvovirus. This is not new — but this year the situation has reached epidemic levels, with large numbers of kittens dying across Crete and other parts of Europe. Unvaccinated stray kittens are at highest risk during the colder months.
We are still neutering our rescue kittens, but only those who are healthy, weigh at least 2 kg, and are fully vaccinated. Rescue kittens should not be housed together in large groups we have seen communal catteries decimated.
HYGIENE IS CRITICAL — CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN!
All equipment including pens, boxes, traps, carriers, and bedding must be thoroughly disinfected between every cat, every time. Use diluted bleach or an approved veterinary disinfectant effective against parvovirus. The virus can be transported between environments and species via contaminated surfaces, equipment, clothing, and hands.
Thank you for your understanding and for helping protect our vulnerable kittens.
Feline Parvovirus (FPV)
Category: Neutering
Neutering & food for the strays
Hi everyone, we hope to neuter again in November (no dates as yet) the Dimos have kindly been completing essential renovations and repairs to the clinic. Apologies to anyone who we missed with the cancellation messages, our team did their very best to reach you all. Next session anyone who was cancelled will get priority on the new list.
Please keep your loaned equipment but do not lend it out! If it gets lost you will have to replace it! Meanwhile the generosity of cat lovers all over has allowed us to buy dry cat food again for the strays. If you are feeding a colony (this food is for stray cats only) and struggling to afford it please contact us with the following: How many cats you feed and location, your name, address and telephone number
Rethymnon Municipal Veterinary Clinic to open in the Spring
Animal Welfare for strays on Crete took a giant step forward with the announcement of certification of the Municipal Veterinary Clinic signed on the 28th January 2014 by the Mayor of Rethymnon Mr George C. Marinakis. The clinic premises are situated in Zouridi & were donated, restored & refurbished for veterinary use by the Municipality of Rethymnon.
Arche Noah Kreta president Mr Thomas Busch has been invited to staff the clinic; initially Ms Ines Leeuw DVM will be the resident veterinarian with dedicated veterinary nurses. It will be available to those who work in local Animal Welfare Organisations or volunteers & individuals who care for animals, the prime purpose of the clinic is for neutering strays.
Opening of the clinic is now delayed due to final certification needing to be issued by the Hellenic Veterinary Association (H.V.A.). Let us hope this impasse is resolved quickly so the vital work of treating & reducing the population of stray animals on Crete can begin.
Arche Noah Kreta, Mrs Nellie Zisimopoulou from the Animal Welfare Society of Rethymnon, Mrs Anastasia Bompolaki, President PanHellenic Animal Welfare and Environmental Federation have all been tireless in their pursuit of establishing free veterinary clinics for stray animals on Crete.
Municipal Veterinary Clinic in Chania
Municipality of Chania announces the foundation and establishment of a Municipal Veterinary Clinic for the neutering program, deworming, vaccination, microchipping and feeding stray animals with the participation of seven Chania veterinarians. Under the terms of the building lease it will not be possible to keep animals overnight. Also there are plans to provide information on the service to the public & schools.
The clinic will be on the ground floor of the Municipal Community Water Offices
Veterinarians participating include: Eleni Maroulaki, Irini Kapsonaki, Stavros Xirouchakis, Georg Vizyrakis, Tania Aeriniotakis, Maria Kampoyraki & Leyteris Xatzidakis
Sources: Chania Pets & Chania News
Athens sterilisation program
The Animal Action and innovative, British natural cosmetics company Lush subsidizes neutering stray cats in Athens.
The sterilization program will be held throughout the month of October and will be a targeted effort to reduce the large stray cat population in Athens. Sterilization is the only humane and scientifically proven method of stray management. One has only to think of an entire or undesexed, stray cat can arise over 5,000 kittens in 5 years! The neutering of stray animals in Greece either by mobile veterinary team either via partner veterinary clinics is a key action for Animal Action. Only then will we achieve the desired result of reducing the large number of strays living in the streets of Greece.
