- Over 120,000 stray dogs roam Crete alone. That’s almost one stray for every four people on the island.
- The Animal Police force features 40 specially trained officers spread across Crete’s four regions
- In the first ten days, over €18,000 in fines were issued to negligent pet owners
- Officers rescued and checked 443 dogs in just two weekends
- Most abuse cases involve owned dogs, not strays
Crete looks like a postcard until you notice the dogs. Picture-perfect beaches, but behind the scenes, thousands of animals waste away, chained, starving, and sick. According to Stamatina Stamatakou, dog trainer and head of moral compass at Zero Stray Pawject, “The number of strays is huge, as is the number of companion animals kept in horrible conditions. Crete is a real challenge. But so is the rest of the country.” Her team of animal crusaders trains Greece’s first-ever animal police, who show up when neighbors report chained dogs or worse.
Here’s how things work: The Animal Police force recently opened shop all over Crete. Each region gets 10 officers. Yes, there are that many animal abuse calls. Locals still keep dogs chained for their whole lives and look shocked, even offended, when they find out this is illegal. Police chief Manolis Voutirakis, who oversees the program in Siteia, puts it plainly: “Because animal abuse is so widespread, with calls coming in almost every day to report cases, we saw the need for specialized groups that will deal exclusively with such matters.”
Hunters and shepherds own many dogs here, then drop or dump them when they’re inconvenient. Voutirakis explains, “A lot of dogs are also abandoned because many hunters are irresponsible. If a dog isn’t working for them, they simply discard it. They used to kill them. It’s very sad.”
Even today, many owners have never had an animal spayed, ID chipped, or vaccinated. When officers show up, some are horrified to learn they’re breaking the law.
The Animal Police Aren’t Messing Around
Before heading out, officers survive a crash course courtesy of Zero Stray Pawject on Greece’s animal laws, how to enforce them, and how to negotiate with stubborn owners. And yes, they do show up with veterinarians and pamphlets in hand—sometimes even in the mountain goat country.
Stamatakou reports, “Just in the first two weekends that we were here, we managed 443 dogs, the majority of which were owned by herders and hunters.” She adds, “A lot of the former are sheep herders and live in the mountains with their animals, but they have no idea how they’re supposed to treat these animals or that there are laws governing such things. We created information pamphlets for them and are trying to convince them that a sterilized animal is healthier.”
The Animal Police’s priority is to check whether pet owners who were fined in the past have made the necessary corrections. Then, they respond to fresh complaints—most involving chained, malnourished, or completely forgotten pets. Dogs with no shelter, neglected health, or no microchip are all fair game for instant fines.
Lieutenant Giorgos Giannopoulos sums it up, “People who are used to having their dog chained up all day long, for example, simply think it’s normal. They can’t imagine that it’s illegal, that they are mistreating their dog. They’re shocked when we tell them that they are. Many have trouble understanding that the dog needs to have specific living conditions, needs freedom of movement.”
For once, Greece’s famous hospitality doesn’t extend to its dogs. But the change has begun, with the Animal Police refusing to look the other way. Arrests for animal abuse are already happening.
- Crete has a staggering stray dog problem, mainly caused by careless hunters and herders;
- Chained, neglected dogs are everywhere, and locals often see nothing wrong with this;
- The Animal Police now patrol Crete, fining, arresting and educating owners;
- Officers are trained by animal protection experts and work with local vets;
- First results: hundreds of dogs checked, abusers fined, several arrested.
Attitudes are starting to change as police enforce animal welfare laws
Greece’s Animal Police may be new, but if early numbers mean anything, their bark might have a bite. Tourists, you can finally post those beach photos guilt-free. Residents, you might want to check your backyard before the squad comes knocking.
