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ΝΟΜΟΣ 4039
ΦΕΚ 15-Α-2.2.2012
Registered Charity No: 873/2009
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In 1993 Ann Peachey-Harris rescued a puppy which had been abandoned. She discovered it was a “he”, called him Benjie who was closely related to a Dobermann/German Shepherd. As Ann had heart problems, she couldn’t keep him herself and luckily a friend found him a home. |
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The feral and semi-feral cats of Leros had heard of this lady who was crazy enough to feed a stray dog so was a sure bet to feed them.
So Ann was looking after a cat and her daughter. Then along came the cat’s three kittens – which, as soon as she saw them settled with Ann she left, only to continue to bring her subsequent litters. The local vet, Michalis Kontrafouris, suggested she start a little animal welfare club and she put some collecting boxes around with the idea of raising funds. Leros Animal Lovers was born.
With help from friends she trapped feral cats and had them sterilised. She ran a weekly bazaar in the Summer. She organised vet visits every six months from 1995 and kept the sterilisation programme going working with Michalis. Most of this work was done during the winter when the cats were neither giving birth nor feeding their young. [Note: As a matter of interest this appears to have changed as cats seem to give birth throughout the winter now.] Ann received grants from GAWF (Greek Animal Welfare Fund) every year from 1998 until 2009 which meant LAL was able to work with Michalis far more than if she had had to rely solely on donations, subscriptions and sale of T-shirts. Tourists were extremely generous.
Ann left Leros in March 2009. Happily, Leros Animal Lovers continues and thrives. It became a Registered Charity in December 2009 and now consists of many-many dedicated members. Every day our Union becomes more powerful, more strong, more numerous. The sterilisation programme has continued despite the world financial crisis and now that we are a Registered Charity everything is looking very rosy for our Union “Φιλόζωοι της Λέρου” - “Leros Animal Lovers”!
