Cat Care: TNR & Treatment

Over the last years HydraArk has significantly reduced the overpopulation of the island’s cats and improved their overall health. Our organization has achieved this through an annual program of spaying and neutering. Over 700 cats have been sterilized, over 250 have been vaccinated and given antiparasite treatment, and over 25 have been adopted. The Marchig Animal Welfare Trust, based in Switzerland, funds most of the sterilization program for cats and subsidizes the fee for the veterinary surgeon. The remaining costs are entirely covered by our generous donors, and our members volunteer to man the clinic throughout the 3-day neutering sessions.

In November 2017, 50 cats were spayed/neutered and all cats had antiparasite treatments. We also spayed 3 dogs from Ermioni in the fall of 2017. All three, named Mylo, Molly, and Millie, had been living up near the mill over Ermioni’s main harbor. After their neutering, they were subsequently taken into foster care and now have been adopted into forever homes.

At our March TNR 2018, 50 cats were spayed/neutered. All cats had antiparasite treatments.

 

In addition, in June 2017, we brought vet Irini Resou to the island to vaccinate, give antiparasite treatments, and check cats in various colonies.

Equine Health Checks

Each year, in collaboration with Animal Action, HydraArk organizes an annual visit by this equine action group, which includes a veterinarian, dentist, and farrier. They come to the island for three days to screen for dental and other health problems. In October 2017 the group examined more than 90 horses, mules, and donkeys. Many had their teeth floated; others had their hooves attended to. Several equines needed special attention for different issues.

This is the tenth year that the Animal Action team has come to Hydra; they have examined close to 900 equines in that time. The doctors stressed the necessity of the annual examinations to avoid and prevent all diseases and especially colic, which can be lethal.

Shade & Water Troughs for Equines

HydraArk has been working to organize installation of canopies for shade for equines in the port, construction near the harbor of two drinking troughs for the equines, and designation of a permanent space for the organization. The City Council, at its meeting on January 29, 2016, postponed the debate about the shade canopies and refused to grant the old radar building as a permanent housing space, but promised to look for another suitable location. The council did agree to the construction of two drinking troughs.

2018 Update: We had hoped to have the water troughs and shade canopies last summer, but we have no news from the City Council.

If you wish to help put some pressure to authorities and help us, consider to write an email to the following:

Municipality of Hydra, attention Mr George Koukoudakis Mayor: ydra@ydra.gov.gr
Archaeological service:  FB page: https://www.facebook.com/efapn/ email: efapn@culture.gr

Winter Food & Care

We must thank our generous supporters for their donations to feed Hydra’s cats from November to April, when there are fewer visitors to the island and cats have a harder time finding food. We distribute the food to the island’s different neighborhoods to keep the cats in all of them healthy.

We have put cat food stations at Mandraki, Vlychos, Avlaki, the Museum, which distribute food during the winter. We also bought and distributed medicines for certain conditions and antiparasite treatments, which has improved the health of many cats. We have received inquires for putting more food stations around the island, but that will require money to buy food and volunteers to fill and clean the stations. We would much appreciate any help on that matter.

Objectives & Actions

For 2018 HydraArk aims to implement two programs of neutering at the end of February and in November. We will continue with the deworming and vaccination of cats, organize the annual visit of the equine vets, and hold other events. We will put around small grey wooden trays, called “cat cafes,” with bowls for water and food. Please fill them. We plan to set up two more food stations this winter.

Other Activities: Environment

Our volunteers also worked to resolve a problem that developed in the neighborhood around the football field last year. Residents were complaining about the disposal there of waste food to feed the local street cats, who also lacked shelter in bad weather. Out for respect for Hydriots and the island’s animals, HydraArk cleaned the area, laid soil, and planted rosemary bushes and four other large plants around the football field to create natural protection and beautify the area. We also constructed and installed a special structure to feed, water, and shelter the cats. To this day visit the area every two weeks to clean and to water the plants. A volunteer feeds the cats daily.

In 2017, two more cat shelters were placed at the gardens as a donation from our president. We also placed cat shelters at Avallki and at the Museum. We plan to put up one or two more this winter.

Thank-Yous

HydraArk would like to thank the community members who have worked voluntarily over the years, feeding and caring for their cat colonies, like Valerie and Brian Sidaway, Popi and Adonis Zogkou, Carrie Mexi and her family, Takis Diamantis, Maria Hanson, Eleonora, Jennifer, Nici, Yvonne, Rhapsody, Judith, Stavroula, Anita, Tracy, Carrie, and Christina, among many, many others. We also thank the dedicated volunteers who work tirelessly at our neutering clinics, assisting the vets and caring for recovering cats.

Special thanks to our president, Argyris, for all his efforts: carrying cats back and forth for TRN, setting up the clinic, dealing with all issues, representing us at municipal councils and with the police and port police, running to all incidents and situations, and taking care of so many animals.

We thank winter volunteers helping with feeding the cats and filling the stations: Stefanos, Stefanos M, Leonidas, and Argyris.

We are grateful for the support of veterinarian Irini Resou, veterinarian Alexandros Kondylidis, veterinarian Kelly Sarri, and vet nurse Carol McBeth, Animal Action, the Marchig Animal Welfare Trust of Geneva, Help Animals International, and all our donors, especially Felicity and Jerry Panas, Gabriela Staebler and her husband Peter, publisher Matthias Reuss of Editions Reuss, Heidi Keller and her family. We also thank Yvonne Dyballa and Martina Pape for coming all the way from Germany to help us, and Athena Tsigkourakou and Georgia Tsitsinaki for their valuable assistance in adoptions and more.

In addition Mr. Kostas Aggelopoulos for creating and donating our new logo, and Mrs. Eleni Christodoulou, editor of the local newspaper Foni tys Ydras, for giving us space in the newspaper and for creating a special column for animal welfare on her website.

Finally, we wish all a bountiful 2018, with health and love.

A big thank you to all of you for supporting and loving Hydra and its animals!

Many thanks to our wonderful members for the use of their beautiful photos.

CALL FOR HELP:
DONATE
VOLUNTEER
HELP WITH FEEDING ETC
ANTI PARASITES
VET CLINIC-VET TO OPEN A CLINIC