JUSTICE - Police to Fine Negligent Pet Owners

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The city of Athens is beefing up its efforts to keep the Greek capital clean and as such it has decided to fine animal owners for violating regulations on cleanliness, behavior, inoculations and treatment in a new and stricter pet law.

Vice-mayor of town police Giorgos Anagnostopoulos told AMNA recently that inspections will begin in central Athens and continue in all public spaces, the most common complaint being the destruction of green spaces and owners not picking up their pets' feces.

Town police will issue warnings and, if not complied with, proceed to fining owners. Fines range from 100 euros for littering to 30,000 euros for maltreatment and torture of animals. Town police will also have the right to respond to charges of dogs abandoned on balconies and to check pet shops and suspend operation licenses when necessary, said vice-mayor for parks Angelos Antonopoulos.

Anastasia Bobolaki, president of the National Animal-Friendly and Environmental Federation, said the measure was positive, "even though we are not for repression but in support of a change of mentality."