Port Authority officers at the scene confirmed that it was a young German shepherd without a microchip.
The dog was retrieved from the water with the assistance of a diver, while the responsible municipal department was notified to take appropriate actions regarding the sanitary burial of the animal. An investigation of the case is underway by the Megara Port Authority.
Greece has a very poor track record compared to other Western countries for animal welfare, failing not only to punish abusers but also to address the stray animal problem. The country has come into the international spotlight repeatedly for recurring instances of violence against animals, which largely go unpunished.
For this reason, the country’s authorities are clamping down on animal cruelty offenders by implementing stricter legislation including much tougher penalties for those found to have committed acts of violence against pets and animals.
In the last few months, animal abuse incidents in Greece have been reported in Arachova, Lamia, and Megara, as well as in Grevena where four horses were shot dead and butchered. The incidents prompted the country’s highest court to order investigations.
In May, a 55-year-old man in Thessaloniki was sentenced to two years in prison and faces a 5,000-euro fine for shooting and injuring a stray dog with an air gun, one of the many alarming instances that came to light.
According to police, in the January-April period, more than 3,000 reports of animal abuse were filed, with fines exceeding 2.1 million euros imposed on offenders. Cases, however, rarely reach the courts.
Earlier this year, the Greek police opened the 10410 hotline to report animal abuse.
