Are you on holiday on Kos and want to help?

Dear Tourists

Welcome to the beautiful Greek island of Kos. We are an animal welfare organisation called GASAH (Greek and Swiss Animal Help), registered both in Switzerland and on Kos. Our work involves relieving animal suffering on Kos.
 
During your stay,

- if you find an injured animal and need our support

- if you would like to adopt a dog

- if you would like to learn more about our welfare work

- if you would like to visit our sanctuary, please look at the Stepping Stone page for details. We would be delighted to show you around  as long as we are not involved with an emergency at the time.

For animal emergencies, please contact a local vet. Phone numbers:

Patakou Kaliopi: +30 22420 29500 / emergency number: +30 6944 598326

Elleni Grigoriou: +30 22420 20309 / +30 224 694 063 0930

Maria Chalkidiou: +30 22420 68912 / emergency number: +30 6944 410324

Yannis Thalassinos and Helene Grigoriou: +30 22420 624726 / emergency number: +30 6945 876727

 

 

 

We speak English and German:  
 Phone contact +30 694 271 6100 Mon to Sat 10-11 a.m.

From end of April:  Mon to Sat, 10-11 and 17-18 hours

or e-mail  gasah@spin.ch                                          
We wish you a very happy stay in your hotel on this enchanting Dodecanese island.

Do we take all animals to our sanctuary?
No, it's impossible. Experience shows that small, healthy animals usually get  help. We prioritise in view of:

our time.

  • our finances (we rely on donations)
  • space availability (according to the number of animals allowed on our license)
  • health of animal
  • each individual case, which is carefully analysed
  • the work support we have at any given time

Looking after animals correctly requires experienced, qualified staff for health and safety reasons, also for understanding animal behaviour and early onset of disease. GASAH has volunteers on site but all are supervised by at least one experienced, qualified member of staff at any one time.

 

The Municipality of Kos with whom GASAH works also wants a better quality of life for the animals on the island. 

 

Farm Animal Abuse on Kos – what to do

 

1.       If you see farm animal abuse on Kos (for example, cows with no access to shade or water), take a photo of the cow’s ear tag (showing both numbers). Please also note the exact location. If you see animals without ear tags, this is also illegal. Please do not go onto private land to take photos. From the road it is legally no problem. If in doubt, call Kos police via your hotel manager.

 

2.       Either ask to see your hotel owner and get him/her to phone the agricultural office (Tel: +30 224 205 7941). The person responsible for animal welfare is Mr Prekas, the state vet. Your hotel owner should inform him where the abuse is happening, and that it is shocking and upsetting to all of us who love the animals that share this planet with us.

 

 As an alternative and possibly more effective way, go to the Agricultural Office, which is next to the police station on Akti Miaouli in Kos town (a small office with a brown door, facing the sea) to report the abuse in person. Ask for Mr Prekas, who will be able to identify the owner if you have a photograph of the tag and/or the location you have noted. He will then contact them.

 

3.       Please go to the internet site 'Cows of Kos' www.thepetitionsite.com/de-de/872/262/409/stop-the-suffering-of-the-cows-of-kos and sign the petition.

 

EU law clearly states cows must have access to shade and water 24 hrs a day and GASAH is doing all it can to see these laws enforced. If you do come across any form of animal abuse, make sure your hotel manager knows you are concerned, and that this cruelty is having a negative impact on your holiday and on any recommendation you might pass on to others. Tourism is a key industry on Kos and the more holidaymakers that register their concern for the animals, the more positive the effect is likely to be.

 

On behalf of the animals on Kos, thank you for your help!