Shelters for Santorini Animal Welfare Assoc.(SAWA)

SAWA—the Santorini Animal Welfare Association is a non-profit animal shelter which receives no government funding and is the only animal shelter on the island.  SAWA is currently home to over 100 dogs, 9 donkeys, 10 mules, two horses and two pigs.  It is an organization with few resources located in one of the most beautiful places in the world.   One woman, Christina Kaloudi, cares for all the animals with a small team of volunteers. 

Two years ago, the shelter was forced to move to a new location, which is on a desolate windswept mountain top, with little shelter from the elements for the animals. There is a difficult access road, no electricity, nor any bathroom facility for the volunteers.  

Last year,  Mike Peun and Angelika Kaiser, volunteers from Germany, drove an 18-wheeler over 3000 kilometres to the shelter with supplies and building materials to create  some shelters for the animals.  This year, Mike and Angelika want to return with more materials to build badly needed shelters for the animals and other supplies.  Mike's company donates the truck and Mike and Angelika donate their time.  The trip will set off on September 28th and Mike and Angelika will be on the island from October 4th-7th.  The goal is to have all the animals under cover before winter arrives.