Mass Dog Poisoning Shocks Halkidiki Village

The news in Greek

1. δηλητηριάζομαι
   παθαίνω ζημιά στην υγεία μου, συχνά και θάνατο, επειδή ήρθα σε επαφή ή κατάπια κάτι πολύ βλαβερό ↩︎
2. δόλωμα  (n.)
   μικρή τροφή ή αντικείμενο που το χρησιμοποιούμε για να τραβήξουμε ή να πιάσουμε ένα ζώο ή έναν άνθρωπο ↩︎
3. μήνυση  (f.)
   επίσημη καταγγελία στην αστυνομία ή στον εισαγγελέα ότι κάποιος έκανε έγκλημα ↩︎
4. ερευνώ
   ψάχνω προσεκτικά για να βρω πληροφορίες ή την αλήθεια για κάτι ↩︎
5. υπόθεση  (f.)
   γεγονός ή πρόβλημα που το εξετάζει η αστυνομία ή το δικαστήριο ↩︎
6. ενημερώνω
   δίνω σε κάποιον νέες και χρήσιμες πληροφορίες για κάτι ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: How many dogs were poisoned in the village of Vavdos in Halkidiki?

Question 2: What are the police asking the local residents to do?

Vocabulary

Greek	English
δηλητηριάζομαι	to be poisoned
δόλωμα  (n.)	bait
μήνυση  (f.)	criminal complaint
ερευνώ	to investigate
υπόθεση  (f.)	case
ενημερώνω	to inform

Read the full story

Authorities in northern Greece are investigating the poisoning of 21 dogs in the small village of Vavdos in Halkidiki, an area south-east of Thessaloniki. According to an official statement from the Municipality of Polygyros, the animals are believed to have died after eating poisoned bait left in the area.

The dead animals included 14 adult dogs and seven puppies, which were being looked after by a local livestock farmer. Local officials state that the bait was deliberately placed and that the incident is being treated as a criminal act under Greek law.

In its announcement, the Municipality of Polygyros describes the killing as a serious offence that is subject to strict penalties under national legislation on animal protection. The municipality condemns the incident and stresses that such cases are considered an attack on both animal welfare and wider community values.

The mayor of Polygyros, Giorgos Emmanouil, said the local authority will file a formal complaint against unknown persons and will fully cooperate with the police and other competent authorities to identify those responsible. Municipal services are collecting evidence and witness statements from the broader area around Vavdos to support the investigation.

Officials also plan to inform residents about the dangers of poisoned bait, not only for animals but also for public health. Poisoned substances placed in open areas can pose risks to pets, working animals, wildlife and, in some cases, to humans who may come into contact with them.

The municipality notes that it had already been working with the Five-Member Committee for the Management of Stray Animals and local animal welfare organisations to manage the local dog population. Previous measures included neutering programmes, free veterinary treatment and efforts to promote adoption of stray dogs. Despite limited resources and, at times, difficulties in cooperation, municipal staff and volunteers were continuing work to improve animal living conditions in the area.

Local authorities are now asking anyone with information about the suspected poisoning to contact the police or municipal offices. They say that help from residents will be vital for solving the case and for preventing similar incidents in the future.

Info: ‘Greek Learner News’ is a service from ‘Let’s Learn Greek’, a language school dedicated to teaching Greek through various online courses for those who wish to learn Greek. It provides updates, resources and information to support learners at different stages of study.