Stray Souls Ilia
More than 3 million dogs and cats in Greece live on the streets.
We want to make a difference. Let’s help these souls together.
About us
Welcome to Stray Souls Ilia! We are an NGO based on the west coast of the Peloponnese and we are dedicated to improve the lives of stry dogs and cats in the province of Ilia. The situation of those pour souls that have to live on the streets in Greece gets worse year by year. Together with you we want to make a difference.
Thats why we founded “Stray Souls Ilia”. We have a lot of passion and year long experinece with animals and work with local communities, locals and people abroad to help to find a new home for our Stray Souls.
We take care of food, shelter, neutering, chipping, vaccination, parasites treatment, operations when needed, registration, papers, adoption, etc.
This is a lot of work and needs a lot of hands and ressources — you are welcome to join our team, help to find a new home for a Stray Soul, donate to our cause, or just say “hello” in one of our spots in Ilia, Greece or here online. We are happy to meet you!
Our Goals
1. Improving the situation of stray dogs and cats in Ilia, West Peloponese, Greece
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There are places (unfortunately far too rare) where a manageable proportion of strays with appropriate behavior are tolerated by the population.
This does not apply so seriously to cats, as they often benefit people and keep the population of unpleasant rodents under control.
All of these homeless animals need water, food, parasite prophylaxis and, in the event of an accident or illness, veterinary help.
Strays are often most at risk when they get out of hand.
That’s why our goal is to be able to have every newly released animal castrated.
In addition, maintaining health and being free of parasites is important for the acceptance of the population, as many of them are worried that diseases could be transmitted to people.
Since we do not have the opportunity and capacity to take in this immense number of strays/abandoned animals in our small, still far too rare animal protection stations, we also feel obliged to install shelters and feeding stations in their frequently frequented places.
2. Reducing over-population, vaccination and medical care for stray animals
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Imagine:
In Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, etc… large, unknown dogs would often inhabit the schoolyards to get a lunch, to sleep in cemeteries or even set up the “toilet”, endanger road traffic, and beg for food in restaurants …
Would the local population be tolerant enough to tolerate this in the long term?
What many people don’t know:
Greece is the country with the highest stray population in Europe.
This also poses major problems for the state and the people.
Especially since these animals are only abandoned by a portion of the population (repeatedly), but they also affect the lives of many.
Despite state castration campaigns and good animal protection laws, the situation has not eased in the past decades, especially in the predominantly rural regions.
There are not (yet) well-run animal shelters or aid organizations across the board like in Central European countries.
What can we do and help to get to the root of the problem:
First and foremost, offer help to the owners of the dogs, to support them with medical care and especially castrations of their dogs and cats, which mostly live outside, and to interrupt this reproductive spiral.
3. Find new homes for the Stray Souls
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One of our goals is definitely to find new homes for friendly dogs that are compatible with family life.
We know each of these dogs personally, have even lived with them for a certain period of time and can therefore well assess their characteristics, characters and needs in order to find a suitable (!) home for them.
Gladly here in Greece, or abroad.
Our dogs are, of course, age-appropriately neutered, chipped, vaccinated, dewormed and treated against parasites and tested for Mediterranean diseases.
For dogs that are not suitable for adoption due to their characters or previous experiences, we try to find safe places to live here locally.
4. Work together with local authorities and networking with other organisations
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Of course, we work in cooperation with the respective communities, neighboring animal protection organizations, private animal rights activists and help each other with advice, information or in emergencies, because this massive stray problem can only be solved together in the long term
We continue to strive to expand a good network both at home and abroad.
5. Helping and supporting local animal owners in their every day struggles
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What is the best animal protection?
Actually any animal that doesn’t even have to be given up or abandoned.
That’s why we strive to provide private pet owners with advice and support in emergency situations and also to provide material support.
Be it with food donations, trips to the vet, shelters to improve the dogs’ living situation, medication, castrations, parasite prophylaxis.
Or the temporary care and support of your animals, e.g. during hospital stays.
6. Emergency care and medical treatment of stray animals in need
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Of course, we see it as our duty to help accident, injured or sick animals as much and as best as possible in order to save them further suffering.
First and foremost, the help is that we take you to a competent veterinarian for an examination and diagnosis, x-ray possible car accidents and, if necessary, have an operation, and treat illnesses with medication.
This requires that we have places available for them where they can be separated and recover undisturbed.
An important point here in the south is parasite prophylaxis in order to prevent chronic diseases (transmitted by ticks, sand flies, etc.) from developing in the first place.
7. Collecting material and financial aid to tinue and grow our mission
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Animals can also suffer in shelters if they lack equipment, weatherproof huts, sufficient food and medication, cleaning equipment, disinfectants and (very important in southern Europe) parasite prevention and treatment.
In order to avoid this suffering, it was important to us right from the start to build structures so that the animals entrusted to us would lead as species-appropriate, safe and healthy a life as possible in our care
Without your help and support this would never be possible.
For this reason, there is a permanent collection point for donations in kind on the farm of a club member in Germany/Münsterland:
Brüwer/Schulze
Geitendorf 3
48720 Rosendahl
Food collected there, accessories for dogs and cats, etc. are then transported to us in Greece as regularly as possible by club members or contracted shipping companies.
Of course, donations in kind for our animals can also be made directly in Greece at the respective stations (see map and contact details).
We always need:
– good food for all ages, puppies/adults
– chemical agents to ward off/control fleas, ticks, sand flies and mites
– Worm treatments
– Dog houses
– Transport and flight boxes
– Disinfectant cleaning products, disposable gloves, kitchen rolls, absorbent pads
– Material for repairs, screws, cable ties, (battery) tools, fencing material
Financial support and being able to cover the immense veterinary costs and food requirements are also essential for the survival of the local animals.
For this purpose, we have set up a PayPal and a bank account and are also launching additional calls for donations in emergencies.
We are very grateful for any kind of help.
8. Working with volunteers and growing the network
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We are particularly happy about the support of volunteers, people who want to actively help us to care for and care for the stray souls, to show them how beautiful this world is and how much fun you can have together with people.
Manual help is always urgently needed and is often difficult to find.
Help with repairs, sometimes laying a cable, erecting fences, building outlets, laying bricks, concreting, welding, etc…
It is possible to live in or near our reception centers with your own camper/van or in simple rooms, tiny houses, sometimes on our property.
We are also happy about new foster homes as a springboard for adoptable animals and help with preliminary checks.
Our Team
Sarah, Nette and Heli
Stray Care
Sarah, Nette and Heli run the Filía Laundry Shop in Kakovatos. One of the many interesting things going on here is the stray dog and cat project Straystories Kakovatos.
The full story ...
We foster animals in need, especially hurt, sick and very young cats and dogs. We offer them a safe space to heal and take care of their medical treatments – sterilize them, train and socialize them by offering them a lot of love and affection. This helps the often shy and scared strays to learn to trust humans and eventually get a chance to be adopted. Thanks to a lot of volunteers who have stayed with us during the past years and given us sooo much time and energy for the animals we have been able to save precious lives and create a future for numerous helpless beings that would otherwise not have survived.
Apart from bonding and training, there are a lot of unpopular tasks to do when you work with animals – cleaning after them, feeding, walking, vet visits several times per week, waking up every night to calm some barkers down…and all this without getting paid. The dedication of our volunteers is stunning.
Some animals stay here for a few weeks until they find their forever home, some stay for years. We have limited space and resources and can not take in all the strays in need – for some of them we can only offer a castration and anti-parasite treatment and have to put them back on the streets…but if we see that an animal can not survive outside due to young age, a chronic illness or a handicap we usually welcome it to our little shelter.
Luckily, we are quite successful concerning the adoptions as our laundry shop and community project is frequented by a lot of travellers and campers. When people fall in love with one of our animals they have the chance to spend some time here, get to know each other and find out if it’s the right match for them. If this is the case, we proceed with the adoption and let our strays go on their adventures with their new families, with all necessary vaccinations, microchip and EU passport of course.
In the past three years we were able to give almost 100 dogs and a hand full of cats a home and our gallery is bursting with pictures of happy souls running through mountains, swimming in lakes and sleeping in the coziest beds with their humans. This makes us unbelievably happy and gives us the power every day to get up and do our job for the strays. We love to stay in touch with the adopters to see how our Filía babies are growing and developing.
Without your contributions, our work would not be possible. Thank you for your support – whether through donating, visiting us, volunteering here or sharing our contents!
Henrik
President / Stray Sanctuary
Hi! I am Henrik and the vice president of stray souls Ilia. Back in October 2022 we bought 3 acres of property to fulfill our lifelong dream of running this beautiful, non-profit animal sanctuary called grove of the voiceless.
We are based in the small village of Varvasaina, Greece near ancient Olympia.
Our dream is to create a safe space for neglected and /or abused animals and have them live the rest of their life loved and in dignity. This means that the bulk of the animals that arrive at our place are mostly very old, sick or have some kind of problem that makes adoption highly unlikely. This is a place of peace and calmness to enjoy retirement.
While dogs make up the majority of our current residents, we also care for every species that we can accommodate: Horses, donkeys or chicken, it does not matter. Hopefully in the near future we are able to rescue more factory farm animals.
Kathy
Treasurer
I have been living in the Peloponnese for 17 years and have been feeding stray dogs and cats for years as a lone fighter, providing them with medical care and having some of them neutered. Now we have joined together to form an NGO animal welfare association and, thanks to your donations, we can care for many more strays. Together we are stronger!
Tino
Supporter
Hi. I’m Tino and I’ve lived and worked on the Peloponnese for over 20 years. Since my childhood I’ve been a big animal lover and as an individual I’ve been helping stray animals for many years. I’m grateful that with the forming of Stray Soul Ilias we have come together to make a real difference for the strays of the region. I’m an all-round helper for the group…including rescuing, local community liaison, translations etc.
Eleni
Supporter
I am Eleni Christodoulopoulou. I live in Western Peloponnese and I m farmer. More than ten years I take care stray dogs because this problem is huge here. I have fifteen dogs big size and the most of them old enough and difficult to be adopted.
The Stray Souls
Nani
Nani is one of those dogs who carry an entire story in their eyes — even though she herself can no longer see.
Nani was found together with her five sisters tied inside a sack and thrown into a canal, all of them barely alive. At just three weeks old, we bottle-raised the puppies around the clock. As the smallest of the litter, Nani had the hardest start. She developed a severe pneumonia and had to fight for her life, including assisted breathing.
Nani survived — but the lack of oxygen during this critical time caused her to lose her eyesight. Possible neurological effects or behavioral differences cannot be ruled out. What we do know for sure is that Nani chose life with incredible determination.
Today, Nani is a bundle of pure energy and curiosity. She is playful, bold and constantly on the move — running, jumping, exploring and chasing sounds and scents. She experiences the world in her own way and does so with impressive confidence. You can rarely take your eyes off her… or your ears. Nani makes sure you know she is there.
Because of her blindness, her history and her special needs, Nani requires a very experienced, patient and well-prepared home. Adoption is something we would only consider under exceptional circumstances, with people who truly understand what living with a blind and potentially neurologically affected dog means and who are able to offer long-term stability, structure and safety.
Until — or unless — such a home is found, Nani will continue to live with us at the sanctuary, where she is safe, understood and deeply loved.
We are also looking for sponsors who would like to support Nani’s life with us and help cover her food, medical care and daily needs. By sponsoring Nani, you support a dog who fought her way into life and continues to live it with remarkable intensity and joy.
If you would like to support Nani with a monthly or one-time donation, or if you believe you could offer Nani the exceptional home she would need, please feel free to contact us via e-mail.
Thank you for helping us care for dogs like Nani 🤍
Freckel (Luna)
Luna, affectionately called Freckel, is a small dog with a very big personality.
True to her nickname, Freckel is a confident little character with a strong sense of self. She moves around the sanctuary as if it were entirely hers — proud, fearless and absolutely convinced that she knows exactly where she belongs.
Luna came to us after spending many years in another shelter, without any real chance of adoption. Despite this, she is an incredibly sweet, affectionate and lovable dog who enjoys human company and closeness. She bonds deeply with the people she trusts and has a way of charming everyone around her.
At the moment, we believe that Luna is best suited to stay here with us, where she knows her surroundings, feels secure and copes well with the local climate and environment. After such a long time without stability, she deserves a place where nothing is expected of her anymore — except to be herself.
Luna is therefore not looking for adoption. We are instead searching for sponsors who would like to support her life at the sanctuary and help us provide for her daily needs, food and medical care.
By sponsoring Luna, you support a small dog with a big ego, a brave heart and a strong sense of belonging — exactly as she is.
If you would like to support Luna with a monthly or one-time donation, we would be very grateful.
For more pictures, videos or information, please feel free to contact us via e-mail.
Thank you for standing by dogs like Luna 🤍
Barneby
Barneby came to our friends at Filia Laundry as a chubby little foundling, full of life and confidence. He was originally meant to find an adoptive home, but medical examinations revealed that he suffers from severe hip dysplasia that cannot be operated on.
Because of his condition, Barneby moved to us at Grove of the Voiceless, where he will stay for good and is no longer looking for adoption.
Barneby is around 3 years old and weighs about 35 kg — and he fills every single one of those kilos with personality. He is an energetic, strong-willed dog who likes to take charge and can be quite bossy at times. Barneby knows what he wants and is not shy about expressing his opinion.
At the same time, he is incredibly affectionate and emotionally attached to the people he trusts. Behind his bold attitude is a dog who seeks closeness, reassurance and love. He thrives on attention, routines and familiar faces, and is deeply bonded to those who care for him.
Barneby’s medical condition requires ongoing management, pain control and a lifestyle adapted to his needs, which we are committed to providing for him for the rest of his life. Here, he is safe, accepted exactly as he is and surrounded by people who love him — bossy moments included.
We are looking for sponsors who would like to support Barneby’s life at the sanctuary and help cover his food, medication and veterinary care.
By sponsoring Barneby, you support a dog with a big body, a big character and a surprisingly soft heart.
For more information, photos or videos, please feel free to contact us via e-mail.
Thank you for supporting dogs like Barneby
Rosie
Rosie came to us through our friends from Filia Laundry after she was found on the streets in a terrible condition. Her ears had been cut and she carried a large tumor on her side — clear signs of a very hard life before she was rescued.
Despite everything she has been through, Rosie is an extraordinarily loving and people-oriented dog. She seeks closeness, enjoys gentle attention and has a deep need for affection. At the same time, she has developed a very healthy enthusiasm for food and never misses a chance for a meal or a treat — something we can hardly blame her for.
Rosie is around 8 years old and has shown us that beneath all the pain of her past there is a dog who simply wants to feel safe, comfortable and cared for. She does not ask for much: calm days, soft places to rest, kind voices and regular meals.
We strongly believe that after everything Rosie has endured, she deserves a peaceful and protected life at the sanctuary, without further demands or expectations. For this reason, Rosie is not looking for adoption.
We are instead looking for sponsors who would like to support Rosie’s life with us and help cover her food, medical care and daily needs. By sponsoring Rosie, you give her the chance to enjoy a quiet, dignified and loving life — exactly what she should have had all along.
If you would like to support Rosie with a monthly or one-time donation, we would be deeply grateful.
For more information, pictures or videos, please feel free to contact us via e-mail.
Thank you for standing with dogs like Rosie!
Flora
Flora is one of our senior residents at our sanctuary in Greece.
She is around 15 years old, Leishmaniosis positive, and despite her diagnosis she is surprisingly strong and stable while she of course spends a lot of time conserving her energy. Flora knows exactly what she needs and lives very much at her own pace.
She loves sleep and rest, enjoys calm surroundings and long, peaceful naps — but she is also very affectionate and seeks closeness with the people she trusts. Gentle cuddles and soft attention are deeply appreciated. Every day, Flora makes sure to come outside to soak up the sun, which she clearly enjoys and needs.
Flora’s condition requires ongoing care, monitoring and medication, but she handles her routine with great dignity and calmness. She is well settled in her familiar environment and feels safest where she is.
Because of her age and medical condition, Flora is not looking for adoption. We are instead searching for kind sponsors who would like to support her life at the sanctuary and help us cover her food, medication and veterinary care.
By sponsoring Flora, you help us ensure that she can continue to live a peaceful, comfortable and respected life, surrounded by people who understand her needs and give her the calm she deserves.
If you would like to support Flora with a monthly or one-time donation, we would be very grateful.
For more pictures, videos or information, please feel free to contact us via e-mail.
Thank you for helping us care for our senior dogs!
Karotti
Karotti is one of our oldest souls and a very special resident of our sanctuary in Greece.
She is around 17 years old, blind, and an incredibly kind, gentle and loving dog. Despite her age and blindness, Karotti is still remarkably independent and has a strong will to live. She confidently finds her way around, knows exactly what she wants and isn’t afraid to let you know — she will bark to communicate when she needs something or wants attention.
Karotti surprises us every day with her independence and curiosity. She still explores her surroundings on her own and sometimes even manages to climb onto tables or higher places, reminding us that age does not define spirit. She enjoys her routines, her familiar environment and the people she trusts.
Due to her age and special needs, Karotti is not looking for adoption. Instead, we are looking for kind sponsors who would like to support her life at the sanctuary and help us cover her food, medical care and daily needs.
By sponsoring Karotti, you help us ensure that she can spend her remaining years safe, respected and loved, surrounded by people who know her and understand her.
If you would like to support Karotti with a monthly or one-time donation, we would be deeply grateful.
For more information, pictures or videos, please feel free to contact us via e-mail.
Thank you for helping us care for our senior souls!
Madonna
Madonna is a little star and she knows it.
She is a very open and friendly dog, no fear of people or other dogs, just positive puppy energy. She is playful and interested, eager to learn, used to leash walking.
Born in May 2025 she has now the perfect age for adoption.
Madonna is waiting for her forever human at our shelter in Greece,
John Travolta
This shy little soul doen’t know yet that he will once be a big impressive doggo. He is a beautiful greek shepherd, his end weight might be around 30 kilos.
John is friendly with people, dogs and cats. He observes you carefully before he comes close and needs some time to open up.
He is looking for a loving home with calm and patient people, preferably with some dog experience and a big fenced garden.
Mango
Mango is a sweet teenager in the best age for adoption. He is kind with other dogs, cats and children. Very attentive, friendly, cuddly and playful, medium size.
Nilo
Nilo is a shy and gentle guy with super soft fluffy hair, waiting for adoption at the shelter in Greece.
Born in October 2024, he was found together with his two siblings when they were four months old, abandoned at the beach. This experience seems to have left some traces…
Nilo is a shy and careful guy. Once he knows you he shows his affection and is very cuddly but towards new people and environments he still shows a sceptical and fearful behavior. He likes to stay in the background or tires to escape and hide when he gets nervous.
Nilo needs a confident and patient guidance from his human, someone who leads him steadily and calmly through scary situations and shows him that the world is not that bad.
Another well educated and confident dog in the household could help him to open up and learn to trust more easily. He likes the company of other dogs and is playful.
Nilo is fully vaccinated, dewormed, chipped and already used to leashed walks, car rides, people, dogs and cats.
If you are interested in more information, photos and videos, please contact us via e-mail. Thanks!
Schrippen-Fred
Fred is your easy going, laid back best friend who will make you smile and chill you down every day. He lives in a foster home in Greece.
Fred was born in 2020-22 (hard to estimate), he is a lovely and gentle Greek Shepherd mix. Everyone loves him for his peaceful energy.
We took him in after he suddenly appeared in our village, maybe recently abandoned, maybe a stray since a long time – nobody knows.
Unfortunately it turned out that Fred has severe hip dysplasia, so his adoption chances are down to zero. He was lucky to find a very lovely foster home in the mountains where he can chill in the olive groves around the house and be a free happy dog.
If you want to support Fred, plwase donate once or on a monthly base for his food and medical costs. Thank you!
Nalo
Nalo is a gentle and soft character, waiting for adoption at the shelter in Greece.
Born in October 2024, he was found together with his two siblings when they were four months old, abandoned at the beach. This experience seems to have left some traces…
Nalo is a shy and careful guy. Once he knows you he shows his affection and is very cuddly but towards new people and environments he still shows a sceptical and fearful behavior. He likes to stay in the background or tires to escape and hide when he gets nervous.
Nalo needs a confident and patient guidance from his human, someone who leads him steadily and calmly through scary situations and shows him that the world is not that bad.
Another well educated and confident dog in the household could help him to open up and learn to trust more easily. He likes the company of other dogs and is playful.
Nalo is fully vaccinated, dewormed, chipped and already used to leashed walks, car rides, people, dogs and cats.
If you are interested in more information, photos and videos, please contact us via e-mail. Thanks!
Juniper
Beautiful Juniper is waiting for adoption in our shelter in Greece.
She is a Greek Harehound/Geka mix, born October 2023, vaccinated, chipped, spayed.
Juniper is used to the company of other dogs and humans, leashed walks, car rides.
Juni is a smart, sporty and active dog who needs mental and physical workouts, clear boundaries and a stable relationship with one person who cares for her and trains her.
She is easy to train with treats and loves to learn new things. She walks already quite well on the leash. She has a strong hunting drive and a very good nose. We see her as a good candidate for dog sports, sniffing exercises, mantrailing, agility etc.
With her 20 kilos, long legs and muscular body she is the perfect companion for long hikes and other sports.
She gets along with other dogs but sets clear boundaries (for example concerning her food bowl) and is quite confident.
She likes to play with her friends here in the shelter and can live with other dogs. But we think that she doesn’t necessariliy need another dog in her home – a strong bond with her human is more important for her.
An owner with hunting dog experience would be perfect for Juniper as she shows the typical characteristics of a young Geka.
We would not recommend a home with cats, other small animals or young kids for Juni.
Are you interested in Juniper? For more pictures, videos and information please contact us via e-mail. Thank you!
Pig Family Sponsorship
Elli (mother), Pepe, Gustav and Theo (boy) and Romy (girl) The pig family were brought to the grove after they were found rummaging around the garbage of an abandoned building. All of them were severely malnourished and underfed. After some investigation friends were...
Louise
5 years old · Greek Harehound · 16 kg · Vaccinated · Chipped · Spayed We are looking for a special person to sponsor our beautiful Louise. Because of her difficult past, it is extremely hard for her to fully settle into a new...
Donate
With your donations we are able to work even more against the misery of the strays. Thank you very much!
PIRAEUS BANK SA, 4 Amerikis Street, 10564 ATHENS
IBAN: GR41 0171 3250 0063 2516 5528 571
BIC: PIRBGRAA
Paypal: straysoulsilia@gmail.com
Membership
Our Locations
The shelter and sanctuary are located in Kakovatos and Varvasena in Greece.
Contact
Thank you for visiting our website. Together we can improve the situation of strays in greece. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Your Stray Souls Ilia Team