Online animal help: Miesbacherin (28) takes care of street dogs in Greece

Created: 01/09/2023, 07:00

By: Dieter Dorby

A heart for animals from the street: In northern Greece, Lisa Pektas tries from Miesbach to rescue needy dogs and cats and to improve the situation on site.

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Animal love sometimes goes strange ways.

Lisa Pektas just wanted to get involved - preferably on site.

Now she takes care of street dogs in northern Greece from Miesbach.

Miesbach

- "I slipped into it like that," says Lisa Pektas.

The 28-year-old from Miesbach actually only wanted to get involved with animals.

Today she is the chairwoman of the animal protection association "Ein Herz für Pfoten", founded in 2021 and based in Miesbach, which with its 20 members is committed to giving street dogs and cats a reasonably bearable life - in northern Greece.

More precisely on the Halkidiki peninsula in the Sithonia area.

It all started when an employee at a building materials wholesaler wanted to do more for animals than just donate money.

So she looked for a suitable contact point and found a club in Greece.

On vacation she paid a visit to the people there, worked in a castration center - a good contact was made.

"I wanted to help on site," says the 28-year-old, who only got to know Chalkidiki through her search on social media.

"I've never been there before." Another step was to bring dogs from there to Germany as an accompanying person.

Lisa Pektas quickly realized that this form of commitment is quite difficult for private individuals.

"You can help better as a club."

Because work is not a walk in the park.

The animals must be caught locally, given health care and castrated.

An effort that requires one thing above all: financial support.

The woman from Miesbach is clear: "We can't save all animals." But you can at least try.

Miesbacherin wants to improve the situation in Greece

Pektas' goal is therefore also to improve the situation on the ground in Greece - to combat the cause of the neglect of the animals.

"There are also laws in Greece," she reports, "but they are not implemented.

Too many people look the other way and tolerate illegal activities.” There is an obligation to castrate, but it costs money and is therefore often neglected.

Everyone knows each other there, which doesn't make it any easier to comply with these rules.

The veterinarians there are also not comparable to those in Germany.

"For many, it's just a job, a way of earning money." And the network isn't as dense as it is here.

"There are only a few veterinarians and it can sometimes take an hour to drive."

Also read: New dog house inaugurated at the animal shelter

Although she can even understand some things, although she does not approve of this action.

For example, shepherds deliberately do not have their dogs castrated because they get a new litter.

“They then choose new, strong, beautiful dogs, and the rest just sit outside.” These animals then become ill, are run over or suffer from malnutrition.

"Can't bring all animals to Germany"

It is also necessary to change something locally in Greece "because we cannot bring all the animals from there to Germany".

But it is difficult to change something on the spot.

For example, someone has to catch the strays.

The animals are afraid and need trust.

"That's why experienced people are needed." There are even grants from the EU to the communities, but the money is better used elsewhere.

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It was never her goal to set up her own animal protection association, says Lisa Pektas: "I actually wanted to become a member of an existing association." But friends motivated her to take this step.

"They said it was the right thing to do because I'm so passionate about the idea."

Also interesting: animal protection association takes care of dogs confiscated by the police

Her association has a motto: "If many small people do many small good things in many small places, then they can change the face of the world," says Pektas.

"We help where we can.

Be it animals that were hit by a car that need surgery, abandoned puppies that wouldn't survive long on their own without help, or strays that are sick and need medical attention.

We are trying to get the people on site to change their minds.” You can support their work with monetary or material donations, a sponsorship or a foster home.

Anyone who wants to help with this is welcome.

Further information

about the “A heart for paws” association is available online at einherz-fuerpfoten.de.

ddy