01	How did SPAZ get started?
02	What does SPAZ do?

How did SPAZ get started?
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In 1983, a small, stray, female dog was wandering around Hellenikon - the area near the old Athens airport. She went up to a school gate where some students saw her and gave her some of their lunches. From that day on, the dog would wait for the children every day. And as time went by and the teachers and students got to know the dog, she was allowed into the yard. They built a house for her and gave her medical care and had her vaccinated. The students took on the responsibility of looking after the dog (with their parents’ approval and cooperation). They fed her, brought her bones, toys and blankets and they painted a name on her house – Sammy. The students and staff loved this little dog and Sammy loved them back.

Then one day, on a sports excursion on November 20, 1986, Sammy was hit by a car crossing the busy coastal road while following the children. Although she walked back to school, she eventually collapsed and needed medical treatment. The vet did his best but Sammy died from internal injuries. The children were devastated. Sammy was buried in the schoolyard and the students wrote poems to honor her.

By Katanya – “I love Sammy very much. Sammy was a very nice dog. I love her very very much. The teachers were crying. Lerrendi was crying because Sammy was Lerrendi’s friend. Sammy died because a very very very naughty man ran over Sammy.

Sammy’s presence at the school was very important. Through this wonderful, kind dog, the children learned not to be afraid of animals and how to love and protect them. They also learned about fidelity and devotion, hard-found values in our contemporary society.

A group of teachers from the school decided that Sammy would be honored by founding an animal welfare society; it was called SPAZ.

The few photos taken of Sammy were of poor quality so
Elizabeth Koubena did this sketch of her.

What does SPAZ do?
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Since SPAZ became a formal society in 1987, we have concentrated on a neutering program. Here’s how it works. A member of SPAZ who wants to neuter a stray cat or dog or a stray that has been adopted, make an appointment with one of six SPAZ vets. They are responsible for getting the animal to the surgery and for looking after it while it is recuperating. They pay a special fee to the vet and SPAZ pays the balance. This system has worked extremely well over the years and we have neutered over 15,000 animals in this manner, averaging about 1,000 per year. Non-members can join SPAZ at any SPAZ vet office and then take part in the neutering program.

SPAZ has over 500 members. These members work together in their neighborhoods, feeding, neutering, providing medial care when necessary and homing animals. Some of them also help out on various committees, helping to fund-raise the many thousands of Euros we need each year, 75% of which goes towards veterinary fees.

SPAZ has received funding from the RSPCA and GAWF (both U.K. based groups) towards our neutering and education programs. Support from such groups also provide much-needed advice on certain issues and moral support.

SPAZ is now actively involved in lobbying for more humane stray animal population control, government run neutering programs, animal welfare education in the schools and a general public relations program to inform people about animals, their needs and their value in our society.