More than 30 years ago, on the sun-baked Greek islands of Chalki and Symi, a single visit by a UK vet planted the seeds for a movement that would change the lives of thousands of Greece’s working equines.
It was 1992 when Janet Eley, a UK-based veterinarian, travelled alone to Greece. She was struck by what she found: working donkeys, horses, and mules that formed the backbone of island life but had little or no access to basic veterinary care. Many suffered silently with painful dental problems, untreated wounds, and overgrown hooves, simply because no one was trained or equipped to help them.
Janet knew something had to be done.
A year later, she returned, not alone this time, but with a small but determined team from the UK: dental technician Garry Draper and farrier John Preece. Together, under the name Greek Animal Welfare Fund (GAWF), they began delivering something that had never existed on these islands before: free veterinary, dental, and hoof care for working equines.
Their first outreach visits were simple but powerful. They worked in makeshift clinics in village squares, stables, and open fields. They treated wounds, trimmed hooves, and rasped overgrown teeth. They also spoke with owners about basic care, nutrition, and the importance of regular check-ups — knowledge that was often completely new to communities who had relied on these animals for generations.
From Santorini and Zakynthos to other remote islands and villages, word spread. The demand grew. What started as a handful of visits soon became a rolling programme of outreach clinics, bringing care to places where it was desperately needed.
But this movement needed roots in Greece to truly grow.
In 2003, a young Greek veterinary student named Elisa Geskou spotted a small scholarship notice pinned to her university’s noticeboard. The opportunity? To join the GAWF equine team and learn from the UK vets and technicians.
Elisa didn’t hesitate. She joined the next outreach, travelling to island communities and remote mountain villages, translating for local owners, treating animals side by side with the UK team, and absorbing every bit of knowledge she could.
Today, Elisa leads that same programme as Animal Action Greece’s Equine Care Coordinator, proof of what happens when a spark is nurtured into something lasting. Under her guidance, our Equine Care Programme now works with a growing network of Greek professionals, skilled vets, farriers, and dental technicians, trained to continue this vital work. Together, they reach hundreds of working equines every year, from Hydra to Amorgos, Syros to the Peloponnese.
Our outreach clinics do more than treat immediate pain and suffering. They build trust with local owners, share practical knowledge, and advocate for better conditions. Over the decades, we’ve seen lasting change: animals living longer, healthier lives, and owners learning to provide proper care and speak up when things go wrong.
But the reality is: this legacy is under threat.
Rising costs mean our annual Equine Care Programme now costs us upwards of £50,000 each year, and without renewed support, we may not be able to reach the animals who need us most. With the ongoing impact of the climate crisis, economic hardship, and the growing need in isolated communities, our team is stretched thin.
We can’t let this work stop here.
That’s why we’re asking for your help. By joining our herd, a dedicated community of supporters, you can help us continue this life-changing outreach. Just £5 a month helps cover essential supplies, ferry travel to remote islands, emergency treatments, and training for the next generation of Greek equine professionals.
Together, we can make sure Janet’s spark keeps burning for decades to come, so that no working horse, donkey, or mule in Greece is left to suffer in silence.
Join our herd today 👉 https://bit.ly/ass-to-action
P.S. Were you there in the early days when we were still GAWF? Did you meet Janet, Garry, John or young Elisa on outreach? We’d love to hear your memories and see your old photos. Please share them by emailing us on aag@animalactiongreece.org. Your stories keep this legacy alive for everyone.
