Report of Hydra Ark for 2022

For the Year 2022:

• 79 cats were sterilized, treated with anti-parasites, microchipped, and registered in the Municipality of Hydra
• 20 cats were sent to a veterinarian for treatment
• 100 cats were treated with anti-parasites
• 4 cats were adopted
• 1 dog was adopted

In 2022 more than 100 cats were treated with anti-parasites thanks to the generous donation of Mrs Monica Taylor.

There were 17 food supply points (feeders) for the stray cats(Kala Pigadia, Angelika Hotel, Perivolakia, Ypapanti, Old Municipal Market, Hydra Museum, AEN Hill, Kountourioti Grove, Avalaki, playground Kamini, Kamini Karafylaki, Rema Kamini, Kourmada, Bouagia playground, Mandraki, Vlychos, football filed).

From November 2021 to November 2022 we provided 4,520 kg of food (226 bags), and from December 2022 to February 2022, 1,836 kg (102 bags).

On 19/2/22 & 22/3/22, HydraArk brought vets to the island. During this session 35 cats were sterilized, dewormed, , treated with antiparasites,  electronically marked, and registered with the Municipality of Hydra.

Detailed coverage of expenses for 19/2/22 & 20/2/22

• Physicians’ fee: The Marchig Animal Welfare Trust of Geneva, and Help Animals International.
• Travel expenses: HydraArk
• Papers-Nylon-cleaners etc.: HydraArk
• Doctors’ accommodation: Mrs. Irini Tavladoraki and Mr. Giorgos Voulgaris (Erofili guesthouse)
• Cafes, doctors’ meals: Mr. Yiannis Rappas (Isalos café)

We thank them as well as the Municipality of Hydra for granting space in the old market.

On 5/17/22, Sterling Davis (aka the Trap King) came to our island to trap cats for a TNR session. Neutering was performed on 11 male and 3 female cats as well as tooth extractions and blood tests on another 4. Three cats were transferred to a clinic in Athens by the Let’s Be SMART team.

• One had surgery for a hernia and was sterilized at that time.
• One needed X rays and treatment for on a broken leg.
• One had surgery to extract a ruptured eye and was sterilized.

Their hospitalization expenses were covered by HydraArk. The next day, on May 18, Davis, the Let’s Be SMART team, and the HydraArk team attended an animal charity event at the Hydra Children’s Center for Foreign Languages and Aquatics.

On 11/18/22, 30 stray cats were sterilized, treated with antiparasites, microchipped, and registered in the Municipality of Hydra by veterinarian G. Karatheopoulos and his team. More specifically, 19 female and 11 male cats. Of these, 5 cats came from the Perivolakia area, 3 cats from the Avlaki area, and 22 from Kamini. The cost was €1,266.93 including VAT and was covered by HydraArk. 2 cats in bad condition were transferred to a clinic in Athens. We are happy that both got well and one was adopted! The other went back to her colony. Their hospitalization expenses were covered by HydraArk.

In 2022, 4 new wooden structures for food supply were placed in the areas of Karafylaki Kamini, Kourmada, Ypapanti, and the hill above the AEN school. One weather shelter was placed in Ypapanti. Seventeen wooden structures to provide food in 17 different areas have been installed in recent years!

From December 2021 until July 2022, the stray cat feeding program continued.

As an example, we mention that the cost of food from November 2021 to July 2022 for the structures providing food for stray cats reached €5,857 including VAT.

The program started again on December 1, 2022, and continues until today (March 2023) with the cost of food having reached €4,400 including VAT.

From January 2022 until the end of December 2022, 20 stray cats were sent to a veterinarian for treatment. Their hospitalization expenses were covered by HydraArk.

From August to December 2022, 4 stray cats were adopted from the island. HydraArk helped all 4 times.

• “Hydra” from the hedgerows was adopted in Sweden.
• “Kim” from Koormada went to New York.
• “Oliver” from Kamini went to Athens.
• “Joe” was adopted in America.

In the Fall of 2022, 2 dogs were abandoned on our island. HydraArk made sure they were vaccinated and looked for homes. One of them is still hosted by an animal-loving lady in Hydra, and the other was adopted in collaboration with GAF Helps Greek Strays by a wonderful family.

We wish them all a good life! HydraArk will give special weight to adoptions in 2023 as well.

New Goals of HydraArk

For 2023, HydraArk aims to implement as many sterilization, health care, and vaccination/deparasiting programs for cats as possible.

On February 3, 2023, with the action of the HydraArk, 24 stray cats were sterilized, received antiparasitics, microchipped, and recorded in the Municipality of Hydra by the veterinarian G. Karatheopoulos and his team. This was done as the phenomenon of overpopulation with what this entails (diseases, etc.) is observed in some areas.

HydraArk will also proceed with the installation of other wooden structures to provide food, water, and shelter to areas of the island.

We hope in 2023 to do what we had planned for 2022, but it didn’t happen due to difficulties:

• Informational visits to local schools and events for children. The purpose will be to establish philanthropy in the minds of children with the ultimate goal of creating a new, animal-loving generation, which respects all forms of life, but at the same time our purpose is to offer joy and creative employment to children.
• In the context of the European Directive that provides for a reduction in the use of plastic bags after the passing of the relevant directive, on April 28, 2015, by the European Parliament, we thought as a union to take actions to limit the use of plastic bags on our island. In cooperation with other organizations we intend to distribute stylish canvas bags to the residents of our island in an effort to reduce the use of and even abolish the plastic bag.
• HydraArk intends to expand its actions in the protection of the environment and to continue as a philanthropic and environmental association.
• Coastal cleaning is in the future plans of our association. But also an Outdoor Exchange Library that unites socially and promotes education and self-improvement.

Finally, we hope that in 2023 the permanent shade and the two water troughs for the horses will be installed in a suitable place. This has been a long-standing request of our association.

HydraArk is a nonprofit animal welfare association (No. 4531/2007) based in Hydra. Its activity is based exclusively on the voluntary work of its members, their subscriptions, and the donations of its friends. At present 95% of the members of HydraArk are foreigners and 5% are Greeks.

All the association’s programs are financed by the subscriptions and donations of its members.

We would like to warmly thank our members and friends, who have worked voluntarily all these years and all our donors from every corner of the earth!

Thank you to Ms. Heidi Keller, Eli Solberg, Gabriella Stabler, and Monica Taylor for their generous donations!

Thank you to our wonderful doctors.

Thanks to Animal Action, The Marchig Animal Welfare Trust of Geneva, Help Animals International, Let’s Be SMART, and The D G Charitable Settlement.

Finally, we thank the publisher of Voice of Hydra for allocating space in the electronic and printed editions of the newspaper and for her help in everything we have asked of her.

A detailed account of the long-term work of the animal welfare association “HydraArk,” which has been working continuously and very actively on our island since 2007, has been published on the website of www.fonitisydras.com