Sadly PAWS does not have the resources to run a rescue or re-homing centre and the situation of abandoned dogs and cats is very distressing for PAWS volunteers and for tourists. We urge everyone on Paxos to take advantage of the Dog and Cat Neutering Voucher Scheme and please take their dogs to the Paxos Vet Clinic or the Fontana vet clinic to be neutered, so as to prevent the continuation of this sad state of affairs.
2022 Update
The team on Paxos continue to do a wonderful job responding to problems of sick kittens or abandoned dogs. All of the animals are given love and affection and the medical treatment needed. Whenever possible we try to re-home on Paxos but occasionally a dog or cat is adopted by a supporter in the UK. The most recent case was Mike the beautiful and lively crossbreed finding his new home on the Sussex coast. Please see our Facebook page for the latest pictures.
Stray Dog problem 2019
Further to the problems caused by stray dogs in 2018, the municipality agreed to build some rescue kennels in the garden of the PAWS clinic over the winter. Lindsay, the Director of PAWS with the help of Dogs Trust UK organised a Dog catching workshop for May 2019 and in January sent out a box of necessary equipment to Paxos.
In March, a Greek dog trainer Yannis Arachovitis came to Paxos for 5 days to give advice and help catch some of the stray dogs. Five dogs were caught and 13 puppies found in the bushes and all were taken to the PAWS clinic. The adult dogs have been neutered by Nefeli and given a thorough health check. The dogs and puppies were looked after by volunteers and new homes were found for all of them.
Kelly Craig from the Dogs Trust gave educational workshops at the Paxos schools in September 2019. We also published leaflets about animal welfare and the benefits of neutering to help alleviate the problem of abandoned animals.
Below are some of the PAWS rescue stories with happy endings:
2019:
Homes have been found for 5 adults and 13 puppies in Greece and the UK. We are very grateful to Cheryl from Corfu Care who was a great help with re-homing.
5 puppies that Lindsay found dumped at the rubbish tip in October were brought to the PAWS clinic and looked after by volunteers. Homes were found for two on Paxos, one in Corfu and two in the UK.
2017:
Jennifer McBeath a regular visitor to Paxos and loyal supporter of PAWS found a bedraggled white kitten at one of the PAWS feeding stations and with the help of the PAWS clinic looked after it during her stay. The transformation was amazing and Jennifer decided to adopt the kitten which she had called Olive and took her back to the UK to live with her 5 other cats!
Emily Hughes a volunteer at the PAWS clinic adopted an abandoned puppy found near the rubbish dump. she called it Freddie and it now lives happily in the Yorkshire Dales.
A beautiful dog now called Spithas was chained up in the summer of 2016 and then abandoned at the PAWS clinic in December. He is now living in Yorkshire with Victoria & Ken . He is greatly loved and has a wonderful life. Victoria and Ken regularly send updates and photos and boy is he a handsome dog! See the Spithas file in the photo gallery.
2015:
A lively retriever cross called Nettles who was at the clinic for over 6 weeks was found a loving home in Cheshire with Debbie Gilbertson (one of our volunteer vet nurses).
Paxi, a beautiful white labrador cross that was involved in a road traffic accident was rescued by an Italian couple Simone and Deborah.
Jim and Maureen Lemin adopted Buddy a gentle black labrador that was found abandoned in a pitiful condition during the summer.
2014:
Two abandoned puppies were found new homes: - One in Paxos and the other (Molly) was adopted by John & Sue Sutcliffe who divide their time between Paxos and the UK so Molly has her passport and is bi-lingual.
A beautiful abandoned Setter cross called Rea was adopted by Grahame and Jan Chambers in 2014. In 2016 they adopted 2 puppies called Fred & Ginger, which is now the 3rd time they have come to the rescue as they gave Chuck a home back in 2006.
2013:
'SAVING Biscay Bertie'
Normally on a Sunday, the PAWS team plans a day of relaxation but on September 24th 2013 our four legged friends had other ideas! Whilst Russell was planning a possible trip to the beach, he received an emergency call to attend a very sick dog on a boat that had just sailed into Paxos. 'Bertie' a Cavalier King Charles, normally a seasoned sailor, had contracted a terrible bout of colitis and was producing all sorts of ghastly things from both ends. Russell's expertise soon had Bertie back to rude health much to the relief of his worried owners. It appeared that Bertie was not just an accomplished yachtsman but also a talented writer. A very amusing blog was written about this Paxos experience raising nearly £1000 for PAWS.
A bedraggled kitten given to Lindsay in a cardboard box and named Maggie was adopted by Eric & Jackie at the PAWS clinic opening party!
James and Kathryn Baird rescued a beautiful tabby kitten 'Gatki' from Paxos and took him back to their home in Belfast.
2011:
A very small kitten found in a metal cage was adopted by Christine and her family from Loggos and named Dissy
Two beautiful kittens found by the roadside were re-homed with Carol from Paxos Magic.
A handsome young dog Taxx involved in a car accident was adopted by Jacqui and lived happily in the UK for several years with a beautiful black Labrador as a companion.
Photos of all these rescues can be found in the Photo Gallery