PFPO’s profile
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The Panhellenic Animal Welfare and Environmental Federation, was established in December 2010 and is the largest animal welfare organization in Greece consisting of 50 Associations while the Steering Committee consists of 115 Animal Welfare Associations. Their calling (mission) is to protect animals and uphold their rights both by taking legal actions and protesting in any way deemed appropriate. Actions taken for these aims so far are:
- The designing of detailed realistic views and proposals addressed to appropriate authorities such as Ministries, Municipalities, Vet Unions and Public Prosecutors and lobbying in order to have them included in the Law.
In March 2012, the PFPO had a meeting with the deputy Minister for Citizen Rights, E. Oikonomou which resulted in the issuing of a circular sent to all Police stations in the country in order to clarify police duties according to the Animal Protection Law 4039/2012. Many of the PFPO proposals had been embodied in the above law as a result of continuous lobbying of both the Ministry of Agriculture and the Greek Parliament as a whole. Such proposals include: The banning of animals in circuses and shows, Introducing passive abuse of an animal in the penal code. Restriction of the practice of euthanasia to only incurable deseases, Abolishing euthanasia in cases of leishmania which was the practice, according to the older law 400/1983
In November 2012, the PFPO was invited to participate in a discussion at the European Parliament in Brussels. The discussion was on “Stray animals in Greece and how to control their population”.
- Campaigns and protests in order to inform people and make them aware of the right way to treat animals as sentient and intelligent creatures.
Some of these campaigns aimed to change the living conditions of dogs permanently chained and the so-called barrel dogs, the improving of conditions in Municipality Shelters and the correct running of them, the banning of selling animals at Pet Shops, the banning of hunting and the use of fur in manufacturing clothes. Others aimed to the better treatment of farm animals, the promotion of vegetarianism or veganism and the abolition of animal experiments.
In particular, as regards the barrel dogs the PFPO not only campaigned to raise public awareness of the phenomenon but managed to unite all the authorities concerned on the island of Crete, against it.
- Collaboration with scientists, academics and politicians
- Collaboration with many foreign animal welfare societies such as the British Union for the abolition of Vivisection and the Anti-fur Coalition
- Realization of the educational program “Living with animals” which took place all over the country under the auspice of the Ministry of Education
- Organising seminars which took place in Police Academies
- Continuous circulation of bulletins to all media
- Caring of animals in need
- Confiscation of animals sold illegally
- Co-operation with wild life sanctuaries
- Reporting and suing those who act against the law for the protection of animals
- Meetings
In October, 2011 a meeting took place for the “European perspective of the Animal Welfare culture in today’s Greece” and
In February 2013 in co-operation with the Public Prosecutors Union and Highest Court public prosecutor Emmanuel Roussos Papadakis, organized a meeting with the subject “Incidental matters of our judiciary system in relation with European Union directives and further social acceptance”. As a result the Higher Court issued the circular “Clarification of matters arising from the application of the 4039/2012 law.
The participants were lawyers, constitutionals, public prosecutors, professors of philosophy, veterinary and psychiatry as well as representatives of the Greek Police and local councils.
In August 2013 the PFPO took part in the 23rd International Conference of Philosophy where they delivered a speech on Animal Rights. The conference took place in Athens. Garry Steiner the outstanding environmental philosopher was presented an award at the conference and the federation established academic relations with the University where he works.
In June 2014 the federation in collaboration with the constitutionalist Constantinos Chryssogonos, representatives of Local government and academics held a meeting in the Athens Cultural centre where they presented “the commitment to amend the constitution which will treat nature and animals no longer as objects”. A petition on it has gathered 50.000 signatures up to now.
In December 2014 the PFPO together with the local councils of Vari Vouliagmeni organized a conference. The subject was: “Beaches belong to the Municipalities – Town planning, legal and environmental parameters for the regeneration of the coast of Saronikos. The participants mainly Academics and researchers brought not only their validity but also expressed different views which were deposited for further discussion. Hosts were the Mayor of Vari, Voula, Vouliagmeni Gregory Konstantellos, the head of Attica local government Rena Dourou and the President of the federation Anastasia Bobolaki.
In March 2015, a meeting was organized by the PFPO at the Police Headquarters in Salonica with the participation of academics and jurists “on the maltreatment of animals and how to deal with the phenomenon in a modern society”. It was addressed to police officers, public prosecutors and concerned members of the local councils.
In May 2015 the crowning moment came when Peter Singer accepted our invitation to be present at a four day meeting. After our request he will be awarded the title of honorary professor of philosophy of Athens University. The event will take place under the auspice of the local government who also offered any required help so that the Greek public can meet the man who since 1970 put the relationship between man and his biological partners and their environment under different perspective. His work has inspired philosophers, activists and the whole of the animal welfare movement in Greece but also artists and intellectuals in all academic fields.
Ιn October 2016, was organized with crowd participation Symposium with Special Advocates & Leadership of the Hellenic Police of Crete on the legal status of animals in Greek law, animal rights – ethical and legal issues, and the forthcoming constitutional review.
In October 2016 also elicited, in cooperation with the Headquarters of the Hellenic Police the important for animalwelfare Circular 1244/16 of the Police for “specific police actions for abusment – killing of animals by humans” for the whole Territory
- The federation actively supports different environmental organizations aiming at the conservation of the environment, the wild life and the natural habitat like the fast track on industries of renewable energy sources, gold mining in Skouries Halkidiki and wind farms on the islands of Chios, Leros and Limnos
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The Panhellenic Steering Committee was established in 2008 by the Animal Welfare Association of Chania – The Protection of Animals. Ever since, it has been fighting for the recognition of animal rights. It consists today of 118 organisations from all over Greece. It has also a group of scientist and professors of many academic fields and almost all Greek universities who support the goals of the federation and are coordinated by a specially appointed academic coordinator.