Location

Hania is the second large town of Crete and is located in the north west of the island. The rather wealthy town compared to other parts of Crete is especially popular with Scandinavian tourists and a vacation spot with a special atmosphere.

The harbour of Chania

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Situation

In Hania as for animal welfare some progress can be observed. You can see more and more often well fed dogs that obviously have a master – a view that was very rare some years ago. There are citizens who are sensitised for animal welfare and for example support castration actions.

However, in Hania and around the problem of stray animals is still far from being solved. Especially after the tourist season many dogs and cats are suffering. The numerous chained dogs in the area and the daily maltreatments of animals are a continuous problem for the animal welfare people.

Animal Welfare

Since 1997 the German Supporters’ Association Noah’s Ark (reg. char.) is active in the area of Hania and around. It financially supports animal welfare activities and performs wide range castration actions. Education and information are further topics on the schedule of the association.

Shelter and Veterinarians

In 2002 the supporters’ association completely restored the former shelter of the district in Nerokouro/Hania and run the place with two workers and one to two vets until end of 2005.

Since 2002 the Supporters’ Association Noah’s Ark (reg. char.) employs on a regular basis veterinarians to manage the shelter. After the first management by Ines Leeuw, Katja Dubberstein took over for one year this demanding task and stayed until December 2003 when she changed to a shelter in Germany where she makes available her abilities as a veterinarian for animal welfare and rather often still for animals from Crete.

Katja Dubberstein with one of her protégées

Since 1998 untiringly active for the animal welfare on Crete is the veterinarian Dr. Diana Mull who, among other tasks, takes care in Germany for the intensive care patients and the large amounts of continuously necessary medical equipment.

In December 2003 Ines Leeuw returned to Crete and again took the management of the shelter in her hands. Since April 2004 she was supported by two more veterinarians, Nasima Janassary and Mike Albring who overtook the management of the shelter in autumn 2004. Together with several helpers they organised every day’s live in the intensely frequented shelter. In November 2005 the shelter was occupied by a local group of so-called animal welfare people and since then the supporters’ association has neither the responsibility for nor any influence on the shelter.
In 2005 the Julia Ricken followed Nasima and Mike as a veterinarian and since then acts on behalf of the supporters’ association on the island.

Nasima Janassary and Mike Albring

The veterinarians of the supporters’ association are organising wide range and selective castration actions on the whole island and carry them out in cooperation with other veterinarians.

Needs and Plans

Widely spread castration actions over the whole island in cooperation with native veterinarians take place. The supporters’ association annually transports more than 100 tons of cat and dog food to Greece and supports numerous animal welfare organisations and private animal welfare activists - not only on the island of Crete.

Your Help

With your donation, sponsorship or membership in the supporters’ association you contribute to finance the monthly operating costs. In Germany we organize collection and transport of donations of material goods.

You can support the animal welfare workers’ activities on Crete by taking on a foster parenthood or by becoming a member of Noah’s Ark’s Support Organization!

--> Foster Parenthood
--> The Support Organization

Donations:
Account Holder: Förderverein Arche Noah Kreta e. V. (Supporters’ Association Noah’s Ark Crete)
Institute: Commerzbank Lübeck
Bank Code number: 230 400 22
Account number: 020923900
IBAN: DE02 2304 0022 0020 9239 00
BIC: COBADEFFXXX

Contact

Noah’s Ark of Crete’s Support Organization
Infobureau
Tel., Fax: +49 (0) 5482 926692
email: info@archenoah-kreta.com

More info on Animal Welfare Activities on Crete:

E-mail: info@archenoah-kreta.com

11.2004, Text & Photos: Stefan Grothus