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SANTORINI'S CRUEL DONKEY MASTERS THREATEN DAILY EXPRESS

CLASH: Reporter Martyn Brown shows yesterday's Daily Express story to a donkey master

Thursday May 8,2008

By Martyn Brown in Santorini

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THE DAILY EXPRESS has been warned to stop its crusade to end the abuse of Santorini’s donkeys and clear off the island.

Stick-wielding owners of the animals have threatened to take physical action against any attempts to publicise the mistreatment.

They say we are trying to ruin their livelihood and insist they are doing nothing wrong.

But yesterday, I witnessed the suffering creatures being hit around the head with canes in front of shocked tourists.

When I tried to intervene the donkey masters told me in no uncertain terms to “go home” or face the consequences. Chillingly, one of them gestured a slicing action across his throat.

This is another example of the cruel nature of the men who force the donkeys up the island’s tortuous paths carrying overweight tourists in the searing summer heat.

GRUELLING: Donkeys are forced to carry tourists in searing heat up steep, twisting paths

It is a lucrative business for them, bringing in at least 60 euros a day per donkey, a good wage on the Greek island.
Unless a code of conduct is introduced by Santorini’s authorities, the brutality will continue.

Donkey master, Andreos Giannakopoulos raged at me: “You are not welcome here. Go home and don’t come back. We do what we do with the donkeys, they are ok. We have done this for years before you came along.”

American tourist Les Lial, 65, was on hand to witness the cruel treatment of the animals.

“My God, this is so bad,” he said. “I am with you guys on this one. There is nowhere on this planet that this kind of thing should happen. Isn’t Greece in the European Union?”

I am with you guys on this one. There is nowhere on this planet that this kind of thing should happen.

Les Lial, tourist

Fellow American Pam Edu, 68, said: “This needs to be policed, it’s not nice to see at all. Call this a tourist attraction? The donkeys look utterly miserable. They look fit but if you look at their eyes they look unhappy.”

Both refused to pay the five-euro fee to ride the donkeys up the steep hill, opting instead for the four-euro cable car to reach the island’s main town of Fira.

“Surely more people must realise that it is torture for these animals to carry tourists up here,” said Mrs Edu. “Why not take the cable car. It’s quicker, smoother, cheaper and not cruel.”

Despite widespread support for the Daily Express Let’s Save The Donkeys crusade, which began last year, I received a less than friendly welcome on Santorini this week. In some quarters on the so-called “island of weddings” the reception was not much better than the treatment meted out to the animals.

Thousands of readers have supported our crusade for humane treatment for the donkeys and it has attracted thousands of pounds of funding from the Greek easyJet billionaire Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou to buy better kit for the animals.

The money has helped provide a donkey sanctuary, new equipment and a shelter so they can escape the sweltering heat.

TORTURE: Martyn has seen cruel donkey masters beating the animals round the head with sticks

And we shall continue to pressure the Greek authorities to introduce a humane code of practice immediately.

But this week I have been accused of spreading lies and “shamefully” tarnishing the name of the island in a conspiracy to wreck its tourist trade.

Margarita Valvis-Roussos, a vet with the Santorini Animal Welfare Fund, who worked closely with the Daily Express eight months ago flatly refused to talk to me this time around. When I pointed out the funding we had secured, she simply shrugged.

If you visit Santorini and see any donkeys mistreated contact The Donkey Sanctuary (email: enquiries@thedonkeysanctuary.com or call +44 (0) 1395 578222) or the Santorini department of animal welfare (00 30 22860 25897).

ARE THEY STILL IN THE MIDDLE AGES??

13.05.08, 8:27am

Unbelieveable that this sort of animal abuse is still continuing in an european union country? and for what purpose ?to entertain tourist while there is an alternative like this cable thing.

I really do hope tourist will think about the well being of these poor animals and will never ride on these poor donkeys back for ther own fun, It would almost be better to say: don't visit greece as a tourist any more as long as they are not changing their attitude towards animals in general!

I am happy that daily express is paying attention to this animal mistreatment and I do hope people learn it's no fun for the animals who live in greece to be as unfortunated to been born there.

I hope there are actions taking to these people who threatened the daily express reporter! And that they will be punished!!!

BOYCOT GREECE!

• Posted by: farida • Report Comment

THANK YOU FOR REPORTING THIS

12.05.08, 10:03pm

I read this article with interest, I visited Santorini about 20 years ago and was disgusted by the treatment of the donkeys there. I never returned, needless to say. I cannot believe 20 years on nothing has changed and these vile abusers are still allowed to treat animals in their care this way. It doesn't surprise me that these people would threaten the DE either. why anyone would want to visit that place for a holiday is beyond me.

• Posted by: ally001 • Report Comment

CONGRATULATIONS AND THANKS TO THE EXPRESS!!!

09.05.08, 7:02pm

'brothereelove' ... you are absolutely right!! The 'sticks' DO have a short & sharp metal pin at the end and last year, when I was on island Ios (NOT as a tourist!) I recorded a rescue of a donkey whose brutal owner had been 'stabbing' him with the stick/nail for years and the poor animal had old and new wounds on his back and sides.

I CONGRATULATE AND THANK THE EXPRESS FOR CONTINUING TO EXPOSE THE BRUTAL (ill)TREATMENT OF THE DONKEYS!! I was first on Santorini in 1989 .... to rescue a mule that had been abandoned ... it's a long story, but I'm pleased to say that mule had a very happy retirement (not on Santorini!). 1989 was also the year the charity I founded (GREEK ANIMAL RESCUE) received the UK charity status. Animal abuse & neglect is RIFE throughout Greece & islands, with tens of thousands of stray dogs and cats poisoned (and the non-intended targets like the wildlife) every year, to 'clean up the streets' for the tourists.

Santorini is a MEGA WEALTHY island, the shops charging ridiculous prices ... there are countless jewellery shops in the old town of Thira .... AND FUR shops!! The shop keepers are all smiles in order to attract tourists into their shops, but that smile freezes the moment you walk past!! I spent a few hours in Thira after leaving Ios and passing time till I took a flight to Athens. Even though it was the end of September, there were still countless tourists ...

It should also be pointed out that when the tourist season is over, the poor donkeys don't have a long rest, but are used to carry bags of sand & cement and bricks ... to build even more hotels ....

I'm not at all surprised that the Daily Express reporter was 'warned' & advised to leave the island. I do hope that he takes the threat seriously!! I'm not suggesting that he should leave, but he should be more careful!

Sadly, thoughtless tourists are to blame too ... very much so!! How can they think it's FUN to ride a donkey and to carry their luggage!! Many tourists are way too 'heavy' to even be allowed to ride!!! In 1989 I have seen 3 donkeys collapse under the weight of the tourists, having walked up and down all day ... one poor donkey was frothing at the mouth and his 'master' just kept prodding him with the stick ... I screamed at the shocked tourists that it was their fault!!

• Posted by: GAR • Report Comment

DONKEY CRUELTY

08.05.08, 5:41pm

Ten years ago I owned a yacht in Greece.I spent many happy weeks each year living the life a little. I made some good friends. The one aspect of Greek life that bugged me was the general attitude to animals - cruelty was endemic. O.K., so they were a generally poor race who could just about feed themselves not too long ago, but I often stuck my neck out and intervened,albeit gettimg a few hints to ease off. I made a friend of a lovely little stray dog I named "clapper". He would come down to my boat and clap his front paws to get something to eat. In the village he was treated with contempt, often with cruelty, and I started to get friction. I had to go back to England, naturally, so I gave a friend there a few quid to look after him till I returned, When I got back I learned that he was dead, run over by a van. An accident said my "friend".Then I was told that the driver went out of his way to hit the creature. And had a laugh about it. I cannot disclose the later events or I would be vulnerable, But that driver had a bent nose for life, and I sold my boat and never went back.

• Posted by: bluenote • Report Comment

A SIX INCH NAIL SHOULD DO THE TRICK MARIGOLD.....

08.05.08, 5:31pm

and it'd have to be at the height of the day when the sun is at it's highest point....oh and he'd be wearing several layers of very thick clothing. Then just for the hell of it, I might make him carry me all the way down again. I'd make sure the donkeys had a front row seat. Sure they'd enjoy that ;)

Couldn't believe what Brotherleelove's witnessed. It gets worse >:(

• Posted by: Veltro205 • Report Comment