Maroussi holds festival for the protection of stray animals

The Greek municipality is encouraging citizens to adopt four-legged friends

On 15 May, the Greek Municipality of Maroussi held its first-ever festival for the protection of stray animals. At this event, citizens had the chance to learn about the city’s four-legged friends and the challenges they face every day. 

Encouraging attendees to volunteer

In a press release, the municipality reports that the event’s organisers presented attendees with information regarding the animal’s feeding stations, houses, and needs in order to encourage them to help improve their living conditions. More importantly, citizens were also taught how they can adopt a stray animal and give them a loving home. 

Children playing with stray kittens (Source: Maroussi Municipality)

Aside from presenting attendees with informative materials, the festival also offered a rich programme of activities for Maroussi’s younger residents. More specifically, the event featured face painting, animal mascots, music, raffles, and an educational show for children. Commenting on the festival, the Mayor of Maroussi Theodoros Ampatzoglou shared:

“Today is a celebration of the adoption of stray animals, a celebration of volunteering for our stray animals, something that happens for the first time in our city. At this event, we distribute food for the animals, we gather new volunteers, and we strengthen the concept of the right mentality towards the pets. Our stray friends need our help. As a municipality, we are in charge of creating better conditions for our animals, and we have the help of PE.FI.PO and animal welfare associations.”

Mayor Ampatzoglou went further, reminding attendees that their actions matter and that the municipality’s four-legged friends also have rights in the city.

Mayor Ampatzoglou holding a puppy (Source: Maroussi Municipality)

According to a press release, the festival proved to be a success as 15 stray animals (9 puppies and 6 kittens) found a new home and became part of a new family by the end of the day.

View the gallery above for more photographs from the event.