The Strays of Corfu

On a recent trip to Corfu, I couldn’t help but note the overwhelming number of stray dogs and cats that know only the streets and alleys of this island as home. Though mostly unthreatening and passive in nature, many of these poor creatures are often diseased, starving, and injured. Strays are a problem across all of Greece and while various steps are being taken to reduce their populations through education programmes for owners, their numbers appear to be increasing.  On Corfu, various efforts have been made to re-home these unfortunate animals, but – because of the large number of cats and dogs on the island – this has proven a nearly impossible undertaking. We encountered at least a half dozen strays in every village we visited across Corfu and while it was disheartening to consider the fate of these animals, locals assured us that they were doing everything in their power to care for the strays in every way possible.

Pictures and videos of domestic dogs and cats make up some of the most viewed content on the internet, but perhaps it is the homeless and neglected animals that are in greater need of our attention. One possible solution to the stray problem might be found in groups such as The Ark, an Corfu based organisation, operating a “catch, neuter, and release programme” for the many stray and abandoned dogs and cats on the island. By implementing such a programme they hope to, “reduce, or at least contain, the ever-growing population of stray animals.” Honestly, I don’t know the solution to this problem, but I do know that anything that can be done to eleviate the suffering of these animals has to be a good thing.

I tried to photograph as many strays as possible while on my trip and – of the many dozens I took – here are some of the more striking images.

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