We chose the name Starlight Barking as a tribute to all the Little Stars all over the world who volunteer and battle tirelessly to improve the lives of dogs in distress. 

First off we’d like to introduce you to one of the smallest shelters in Greece run by just 2 volunteers with very big hearts and even bigger dreams for the 80+ dogs in their care. 

Lemnos Dog Shelter

When we first met Fotini and Vaggelio in 2015, they had just taken on the massive task of volunteering on their days off to care for 80+ dogs living as a pack in the “shelter” in the middle of nowhere. The conditions were heartbreaking – we saw grown men hiding tears when they saw the “life” the dogs had. 

The shelter and adoptions are managed by Fotini, who is a young mum and ground crew at Lemnos Airport together with her best friend, Vaggelio, who works at one of the island hotels. 

They have the occasional help of a few family, friends and a handful of wonderful children, including Fotini’s son, Victor, who since a young age, has hand reared so many puppies and become an expert at socialising the older shy dogs. 

What was really magical, right from the start, was the way this Dynamic Duo tackled this enormous task before them. They just got on and did it, no whinging, just lots of courage and determination and 10 years on they have achieved nothing short of a miracle. 

Early days they were still learning themselves, basics like how to safely administer flea treatments and worming pills to a pack of 80 hyper dogs who are just so pleased to see you they can’t sit still. Or the time they couldn’t refuse the offer from a group of British uni students to bath and pamper all the dogs…..another story for another day! We did survive and the dogs loved their mud baths!

But by far their biggest hurdles were the lack of support from the local community and municipality and the 30+ Ghost Dogs who had languished at the shelter for years – with no sign of a home. 

On our first visit the enormity of what they faced seemed impossible, but the determination of these two incredible women was so infectious we offered to help. 

We too were on a learning curve. Despite working in travel and managing to get 4 puppies back from Lemnos the year before, we had quickly realised that dog travel was a whole new ball game. 

Fotini picked our very first dog out. Alfie – a gorgeous retriever who had been found tied up one morning outside the shelter 2 years previously. Finding Alfie a home was the easy bit. Getting him to the UK was the challenge. Unlike bigger islands there was no way to get Alfie off the island direct to the UK by plane.

Nine years on, we’ve learned so much about dog travel. It really is a team effort and we support one another and try to make the journey as stress free as possible. 

First the dogs are taken by the girls from the shelter to the overnight ferry. They are then picked up by our lovely doggie courier and spend a couple of nights being cared for in Athens before being escorted to their transport. 

The first evening it’s yet another ferry to Italy then onwards to Calais where they are met by the lovely Phil from K9-5 and then taken to the UK and delivered directly to their new homes. 

The Lemnos Shelter will probably always be “home” to 80+ dogs because as fast as one dog is homed, there’s another dumped at the shelter or, in the case of puppies, found dumped with the garbage. Our long-term priority is to support neutering throughout Greece and are at present setting up a neutering project for Lemnos.

Since 2019 Fotini and Vaggelio have linked us up with a Swedish rescue charity and together we have become so much stronger. We work together to share best practice for re-homing and do our utmost between us to pair the right dog to the right home.

Two years ago the wonderful Mr George arrived at the shelter and life for the dogs suddenly became a whole lot better. He was employed by the municipality to care for the dogs, but the only drawback was he wouldn’t be allowed any days off!! 

Sadly despite Mr George’s passion and caring for the dogs, as a senior citizen it’s just not fair to expect him to continue working 365 days a year……and the future of the shelter is in jeopardy. 

More recently Fotini, Vaggelio and Mr George have been joined by some other lovely ladies who have done masses to improve the socialisation of the dogs, especially some of the bigger dogs.

Demetra, Despina, Lilly and Elizabeth we thank you for all that you have done. We just hope that somehow the municipality will see sense and find someone so Mr George can have a couple of days off each week. 

Despite all the trials and tribulations, it’s a brilliant team effort with Fotini and Vaggelio very much at the heart. Fotini’s passion comes across in her Instagram posts with a daily stream of photos of the new arrivals. If you know someone looking to adopt a dog then please tell them to follow Fotini’s Instagram: @lemnos_dogs_shelter 

And you can find all the dogs for adoption here on this website. 

If you’d like to get involved in any way or would like to adopt a Lemnos dog – we still have still have an enormous number of hunting dogs looking for homes: Setters, Pointers, Retrievers, and Spaniels all dumped after the hunting season and sadly, an endless stream of puppies. 

If you would like more info on adopting a dog from Lemnos please kindly contact: 
fiona@starlightbarking.co.uk