The position of the Hellenic Veterinary Association against the sterilization of companion animals is objectionable and unionistic.

Once again, the Hellenic Veterinary Association opposes the mandatory sterilization of companion animals, a constant request of animal welfare organizations for the reduction of strays.

In their letter, they state specifically: «regarding the issue of the mandatory sterilization of pet animals, we want to inform you that this is not the case in any other EU country. In addition, such a regulation violates medical ethics and morality, reveals an unscientific approach, incomplete analysis of the phenomenon of overpopulation of strays and of course violates the rights and freedom of animals in general.»

This position was celebrated by the country’s hunters and good customers of the veterinarians who keep large numbers of non-sterilized animals, which are constantly bred, traded, sold, and abandoned when they become sick, old, or simply unfit for hunting, filling the country with thousands purebred and half-breed stray hounds.

Unfortunately, the Hellenic Veterinary Association does not bother to inform us of their analysis on the causes of the overpopulation of strays, nor of its proposals on how to deal with the phenomenon.

Also, they do not consider it necessary to explain to us, why the compulsory sterilization of pet animals «violates medical ethics and morality and the rights and freedom of animals in general» while the same does not apply to the compulsory sterilization of strays nor to the optional sterilization of pet animals. It seems that medical ethics and morality and the rights and freedom of animals, apply on a case-by-case basis and according to the will of the adopter-clients of the veterinarians. Finally, they do not consider it necessary to deal with the fact that Greece is by far the worst country in the EU in relation to the overpopulation of strays, counting millions in numbers.

Let’s not be fooled by the Hellenic Veterinary Association. Their position does not apply to a scientific approach but to a purely unionistic one. The continuous sterilizations of stray cats and dogs, which cause huge financial bleeding of the animal welfare world and the country’s municipalities, are an ever-increasing source of income for veterinarians, a turnover that multiplies every year. The mandatory sterilization of pet animals, which would lead to a gradual reduction of the huge number of strays in the country, would also mean a reduction in the profits of veterinarians.

It is extremely sad, however, that the Hellenic Veterinary Association is indifferent to the serious social and economic problem created by the unmanageable number of strays in the country, to the animals that die by the thousands sick, poisoned, injured, indifferent to the daily mass and gruesome killing of puppies and kittens resulting from unwanted births of non-sterilized pet animals.

PFPO firmly supports the position of mandatory sterilization of pet animals, which is the request of all active volunteer animal lovers and the only measure that can bring about a reduction in the number of strays in the country. We ask the State to ignore the unionistic pressure and finally proceed with the implementation of the law.

The Veterinary Association letter …