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Cruelty toward Animals

Curated & Moderated by:
Anna-Kynthia Bousdoukou
Cases of animal cruelty and abandonment, organized crime, illegal activities, and how abusive behaviors are ultimately a reflection of our society.
When
Wednesday 30 October 2019, at 18:30
Where
Dome, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center
Dialoguers
Elena Dede Bio Evangelos Drivas Bio Christos Karagiannis Bio Mark Randell Bio Thodoris Chondrogiannos - Bio Elpidoforos Papas Bio
Live
Animal Rights
Society
Environment
Politics
No one has the right to control animals. We are all living together on this planet, and there are no master and victim relationships.
Elena Dede

Elena Dede

There is extreme reluctance to report cases of animal abuse in Greece because citizens and eyewitnesses fear reprisals and cannot be protected. However, there is also a strong tendency to shift responsibility onto official institutions. Witnesses must be responsible for reporting abuse. 

Man speaker at the SNF Dialogues.

Evangelos Drivas

Evangelos Drivas

Evangelos Drivas

There has been an increase in complaints of animal abuse in recent years as legislation has changed since 2012 and people are becoming more aware. Increased complaints do not signify increased abuse but rather an increase in awareness.
Christos Karagiannis

Christos Karagiannis

Christos Karagiannis

Man speaker at the SNF Dialogues.

Dogfighting is inextricably linked to other crimes. When we investigate the issue of dogfighting, it's like investigating arms and drug dealing. 

Thodoris Hondrogiannis

Thodoris Hondrogiannis

Having served in the British police for 30 years as a member of the Counter-terrorism Service, Mark Randell, head of the organization "Hidden-in-Sight International", stressed in an interview with Hondrogiannos that “at the top, or better at the bottom, of dogfighting lies the most horrifying aspect: that of organized crime.” Putting the situation in Greece in global contex, Randell emphasized that “dogfighting is widespread in Greece. There are many big dogfighting organizers in Greece, but the same is true for other countries. Don't blame Greece for the dogfights.” 

There was a brief contribution by Kalliopi Gavala, President of Animal Zone International (ΑΖΙ), who mentioned the nonprofit’s work in Amorgos: “The horrible living conditions of animals are a huge disgrace that affects tourism. In recent years, incidents become known instantly everywhere via social media. But the particularities of small, close-knit communities make it hard to file official complaints.” Elpidoforos Pappas, Chief Operating Officer of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, also made a brief contribution on steps taken by the SNFCC: “Every day, people from the neighborhoods of Kallithea and Faliro walk their dogs at the SNFCC. They are very welcome because we love animals! As for strays, we always make sure to help those that need us in a variety of ways.”

Audience engagement and participation were high at this Dialogues event, both through comments and questions for the speakers, and through an Instagram poll on public opinion and knowledge on the issue of animal abuse.

The SNF Dialogues are curated and moderated by Anna-Kynthia Bousdoukou.

*The opinions expressed by Dialogues participants, whether officially representing institutions and organizations or themselves alone, at events, in articles, or in other audiovisual media are solely their own and do not necessarily represent the views of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) or iMEdD. Speakers' remarks are made freely, without prior guidance or intervention from the team.