Athletes enraged over dog killings

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Athletes enraged over dog killings

 

SAY COC SHOULD TAKE A STAND

By KEVIN CONNOR, TORONTO SUN

 

SOME OF Canada's Olympic athletes are outraged the Canadian Olympic

Committee won't take a stand against Athens officials who are

poisoning up to 15,000 stray dogs in the city so the country looks

pristine during the games. " It's horrible, but it has nothing to do

with us. We have no official comment, " said COC spokesman Stacey

Smith.

 

Since Athens officials are doing this for the Olympics, it has

everything to do with the COC, said Olympic runner Leah Pells.

 

" It makes me sick. The COC is pathetic and they need to take a

stand. It's embarrassing to me that they won't do anything, " Pells

said.

 

'ILLS OF SOCIETY'

 

" Sporting organizations can and should influence the ills in

society, " said Olympic gold medal-winning wrestler Daniel Igali.

 

Poisoning is a slow, agonizing death, Lynda Elmy of the Toronto

Humane Society said.

 

" We should all stand up and there should be a huge outcry against

this because we are sending athletes to the games. It's just

appalling, " Elmy said.

 

AESTHETIC REASONS

 

Athens officials have said the city needs to be dog free for the

games for aesthetic reasons, said Dianne Alden of Greek Animal

Rescue Canada, which is working with international animal protection

groups to stop the slaughter.

 

" It's deliberate, appalling -- people need to know, " she said.

 

It's not a situation we are proud of, said George Ayfantis,

spokesman for the (Greek) Embassy of the Hellenic Republic in

Ottawa.

 

" It's not automatic that 15,000 will be killed. Poisoning dogs is

traditional but now illegal. Local officials have extended autonomy

and it's done at night. It's considered a minor offence and public

prosecutors and police don't want to go after elected officials, " he

said.

 

" There are animal lovers around the world expressing their fears.

The embassy is doing their utmost for their cause. "