Pets in crisis are being abandoned in the streets of Greece prompting calls for help from animal shelters. “There were always strays, but now those who are not great animal lovers find an excuse to set the dog on the street,” said Vana Theodoridou, the manager of KAZ, a shelter near Athens that sends rescued dogs to Canada.

Dianne Aldan has airlifted more than 350 pups to Canada, providing the link between the KAZ shelter for stray animals and Canadians wanting to adopt. She has been helping Greek dogs find a home since 2001 through a charity out of Toronto called Tails from Greece Rescue.

“It never ends, and especially now… with the financial situation, a lot of dogs have been abandoned,” she says.

Her charity charges a $375 adoption fee while KAZ takes care of vaccinating and sterilizing the dogs.