Saving Mirka: The Greek Stray Story

Hi, we are Scout and Kieran. A couple from Leeds who recently visited Corfu for what we believed would be a relaxing holiday. What actually happened, was a completely different story…

It all started with a dog we gave the name ‘Spiro’. We found him on a road dodging cars and trucks, terrified and in a terrible state. We took him in, and gave him medical treatment for his ticks/worms and had blood tests done to try and get him into a shelter. However, all shelters on the island were full. We made the decision to adopt Spiro but we needed to find a temporary place for him to stay whilst we made the necessary arrangements. After several phone calls, rejections and hours of driving, we came across a shelter after hearing dogs barking while driving down a dirt track. We were initially told they were full but after we told them our intentions of adopting to the UK, they agreed for Spiro to stay. Over the next 12 hours, we started making arrangements for Spiro’s flight to the UK. However, during this time ‘owners’ came forward and after police involvement, we had to surrender Spiro to them. Unfortunately, the adoption fell through.

However, we already booked a flight for Spiro and after the shelter helped us, we wanted to help them. We made the decision to adopt another dog from this shelter… meet Mirka.

Mirka has a heartbreaking story of her own. She was living in a derelict house, abandoned and unwanted. In August 2023, Corfu was struck by wildfires. Mirka was in the direct path of the fire and the house was about to go ablaze when a volunteer found her petrified. The volunteers immediately took her for exams and found, despite neglect, was very healthy girl. Specific tests showed she had heartworm, caused by a parasite through the bite of a mosquito. She has been receiving treatment at the shelter and has been doing well since.

We want to adopt Mirka. As I’m sure you can appreciate, this is an expensive task. We would like your help in raising money to make this happen.

The money will go towards her medical bills* in Corfu, her flights, her transportation, her insurance, her pet passport and vet treatment once she arrives in the UK. My partner will be driving to Paris to pick her up. We have also started an Instagram page to show Mirka’s journey, @savingmirka.

Any remaining funds will be donated to the shelter so they are able to continue their amazing work and improve the facilities for the 85 remaining dogs living there.

The shelter is called KEPZ, and they are doing an amazing job with the resources they have, but they are stretched to their limit. Please visit their website here for more info - https://www.kepz.org

The 24 hours we spent with Spiro and the strays changed our life. We cannot stress how devastating the stray situation is in Corfu. We need your help and they need your help. Anything you can donate, however big or small, will help Mirka and other strays deserving of their forever homes.

Be the change you want to see in the world.

*should Mirka’s blood tests in Corfu determine that she is not allowed to travel, the money raised will still be used to rescue another dog and/or donate to the shelter.