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Maria Perrou - dierenarts op Lesbos
Our vet clinic cooperates with the foundation We Are Here Lesvos for the last 2 years and it has been a great pleasure ever since. My personal experience as one of the doctors of the clinic is that it is a serious organization that is trying very hard to protect, save and secure good homes in Holland for as many as possible stray animals in the island of Lesvos.
Moreover, we are obligated to follow specific rules as the foundation dictates. Such as, Ehrlichia test for 4 months old dogs and Leishmania test for 6 months old dogs. All necessary vaccines for those that are going to be adopted, medical care for every animal in need, sterilizations of stray dogs and of course, a thorough examination by us, the doctors, before any travel. What I can state for sure is that we keep having an excellent cooperation and we are thankful that foundations like We Are Here Lesvos exists and care for all animals no matter how far from their country they are.

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Giasemi Kerentzi - dierenarts op Lesbos
My name is Giasemi and I practice veterinary medicine in Mitilini the capital of Lesvos island Greece. I used to work at the municipality’s practice for stray cats and dogs. Now I work in my own small practice in Mitilini.
It is commonly known that in Greece we have a lot of stray dogs and cats. The last decade though there has been much improvement on that matter. The laws about animal abuse are better, people care more about strays and there are many sterilization programs funded from the municipalities or concerned people or foreign animal welfare organizations.
A few years back that I still worked at the municipality’s program for the strays I started to cooperate with We Are Here Lesvos. Mostly for adoptions at the beginning. It takes a lot of work for a stray dog or cat to be adopted abroad. At first there is the person that finds the stray dog and for a good reason usually (too young dogs, abuse or because the dog lives in an unfriendly environment) decides to help on finding a home for it. But adoptions are really difficult in Greece especially for adult dogs. So when adoption in Greece is difficult that person contacts We Are Here Lesvos so they can try to find a home in Holland. But it is not so simple because the dog before it is put up for adoption must be healthy. And at that point I come in. The dog is brought to me for check up. The dog, if it is a puppy, is checked that it is healthy and if older than 4 months old tested for ehrlichiosis and of course vaccinated. The puppies must have at least two shots of vaccinations and rabies vaccination before they can travel. With the adult dogs is the same procedure is followed but adult dogs also have test for leishmaniosis which is common in the Mediterranean countries. If the dog is negative then We Are Here Lesvos does its magic. But if from any reason the dog cannot travel to Holland We Are Here Lesvos makes sure that it has the proper medical care and medications and that it is sterilized or castrated.
Not many people can imagine the amount of work and the number of individuals that are needed for only one dog to find his forever home in Holland. The time and the people that have to cooperate not even using the same language. The work that fosters do both in Greece and Holland, the planning of all factors and the psychological burden when things do not go as planned.
And when finally a dog is adopted and you know how it used to live and how it is with his new family after, all the above are forgotten and there is only happiness.
SO THANK YOU WE ARE HERE!!!

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Anna Stamouli - vrijwilliger op Lesbos
My name is Anna and I live in a little village on Lesvos island in Greece. Greece is not a paradise for stray dogs, in fact animals live in hell. They are hungry, thirsty, sick, abused and in the end they end up poisoned or shot. But I feel very lucky because in my village there are no stray dogs any more because the last 3 years people from the foundation “We Are Here Lesvos” have helped me and have given for adoption more than 70 dogs. They actually have given a second chance to dogs that were doomed to live a miserable life and die in pain. Stray dogs, barrel dogs, hunting dogs that are not useful to their owners anymore, adult dogs and puppies thrown in dust bins. People of the foundation are very careful and follow strict rules especially when dogs are going to be adopted in Holland. Adult dogs have to be tested for Ehrlichia and Leishmania and of course all dogs, adults and puppies have to be vaccinated and be examined by vets to be sure that they are totally healthy before they travel. In addition to this they have offered medical care for sick dogs and they have paid for several sterilizations and castrations. I can say that I feel very lucky because thanks to “We Are Here Lesvos” I live in a village civilized, I mean with no stray dogs that make you feel so sad like other places in Greece.