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Thinking of canceling cruise due to fear of stray dogs in Turkey/Greece

Florida_cruisers

By Florida_cruisers,
in Greece Ports

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gerena

gerena

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Posted

Hi,we just got back from 3 b/b cruises of 5 weeks in Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, Corfu, Istanbul and Ephesus. I, too, question why the stray animals. But they were mostly sleeping. It's just that we don't see them in the US. They never bothered anyone. We don't have pets, and I am deathly afraid of snakes, so understand your fear, but I don't stay away. We saw a deadly black snake in Australia last year, but I dealt with that.

 

When I saw several cats in Ephesus, I asked our guide who took care of them as they looked well fed. She said, the animals belong to everyone. (I had also heard this in Greece. ) Then I saw people, even a guide, carrying dry cat food in containers that they would drop a little here and there! There was one lady on one of our tours who was carrying a sack at the end of the tour. I asked her about her purchases and she indicated it was cat food she took along on the tours!!!!

 

Just take in the beauty and history of the area and make good memories. I don't like to see the animals wild, but that seems to be the way it is done there. They like their small animals. They even take them with them in restaurants and bakeries in some places.

 

Oh, yes, I'd be more concerned about pick pockets in crowded places and ALWAYS wear a money belt and no money in you back wallet or purse.

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  • 1 month later...
Milaandra

Milaandra

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I just got back from Greece and Turkey (Katakolon and Athens (Piraeus), Ephesus (Izmir) and Istanbul)

 

There were many stray dogs in Athens, and they seem to like hanging around the tourist attractions. They don't seem to have any interest in (or fear of) the humans, to the point of napping in the doorway of some attractions. I saw them get pet by small boys with little reaction. They do interact with each other, however, and you might hear some growling as they work out their pack issues. Other than that, they are just furry rugs you have to step around. I saw only one in Katakolon, hanging around a cafe, but our waiter spoke to it in Greek and it wandered off. (How smart!)

 

You could go with a tour, and let them know in advance that you are afraid of dogs. Request a guide who can get the dogs out of your way, if necessary. They are very placid, and I'm sure a guide can ensure you can keep your distance.

 

There were one or two younger dogs at Ephesus, but mostly a huge colony of lovely cats doing what they do best...sitting pretty on top of pedestals where they think they belong! :)

 

I didn't see any dogs in Istanbul, but then, we got caught in that freak blizzard. I did see cats...right in the sights. I think it's lovely that the guards don't try to roust them.

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Hlitner Excellent Advice! Rare

Hlitner

Posted
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Cynophobia can be a real problem for any traveler...anywhere...not to mention just walking down a street in front of your home. We know, from the experience of a friend, that this phobia can really ruin a life. We have traveled extensively all over the world and stray (and not stray) dogs are all too common. In fact, we just spent a vacation on St Martin where they have a real dog problem (you do not have to go all the way to Greece). When a phobia starts impacting on major life decisions...perhaps its time to seek out professional help and treatment rather then live with all that fear. We truly wish the OP the best at dealing with her demons.

 

Hank

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CuTiAngel

CuTiAngel

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I'm afraid of dogs, yet I found the many stray dogs in Athens very mellow. Most of them lied around and barely moved. For those that walked, they didn't come around close to people. We came across so many that I started taking photos of the stray dogs and have a collection :)

 

In Istanbul, there was not a dog in sight. Cats, on the other hand, were plentiful.

 

Hope you won't cancel your trip due to the fear of stray dogs in Athens.

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ashoor

ashoor

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When we lived in Athens in the mid 90s, stray and wild dogs were a big problem. So much so that I was bitten twice in a matter of 1.5 years. Even when were at the airport to come to Canada, we were shocked and laughing as we saw a group of about 5 stray dogs, walking in the terminal, with no humans around to control them.

 

Don't mean to scare you, because this was 1994-1997. Hope things have changed now, because I too, just like you, are not a dog (or cat) person either.

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helenb

helenb

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I just want to send *hugs* to the OP. I too have a fear of dogs. The majority of people seem to love dogs, and don't understand how someone who is afraid of them can feel. I was bitten far too many times by dogs as a child, and simply cannot get over that fear now. Even when I don't outwardly show my fear, dogs can 'smell' it, and so it never really goes away. I find that in general people have little compassion for this fear, and as such I try to simply avoid dogs of all kinds.

 

That being said, I have traveled to Athens, Santorini, Istanbul and Kusadasi, doing cruise ship shore excursions and touring on my own. I have never had a problem with dogs at any of these ports.

 

Interestingly, the only time I had a problem with a dog was in Cartagena, Spain, where an inconsiderate man was letting his dog run free and laughing when my son ran screaming in terror (he's been bitten before as well, and we were once terrorized by a pitbull in our old neighborhood). Unfortunately, there are inconsiderate people all over the world, but I have been lucky to run into very few of them on my cruise travels.

 

I hope you have a wonderful cruise!

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celebrity

celebrity

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I too have been bitten twice by dogs so I have developed a fear of all dogs.

On our recent Med cruise, there were a number of stray dogs at the Acropolis but they never bothered anyone. We saw far more stray cats on this cruise, particularly in Pompeii and Ephesus.

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vjmatty

vjmatty

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We were in Istanbul for three days last month and I don't recall seeing a single dog. We stopped in Ephesus on a cruise and I might have seen one driving through a town (I checked my pictures of the trip).

 

Would you mind posting a picture of the dog driving? I'd love to see that ;)

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Crusin6

Crusin6

Posted
Posted

How do you feel about flying monkeys? Lol

 

I wouldn't notice a stray anything but I do notice the nutty people that insist on petting and holding feral animals. I recall a crazy person actually trying to pet a squirrel outside the White House. I casually asked if the animal had gotten their rabies shot. You could actually see the lightbulbs going on over their heads. This never even occurred to them. Even though rabies is extremely rare even in bats there is no way I go near a feral creature. That being said there is also no way I let an irrational fear of stray animals stop me from going somewhere. But it does make a good excuse for someone looking for an excuse to not travel. Lol

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maggie cruises

maggie cruises

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I have been wanting to go to Greece and Turkey for a long time. We were really looking forward to our next cruise in May which will go to those ports. Unfortunately I recently found out that there are a ton of street dogs in Greece and Turkey and I am deathly afraid of then, even house dogs. I cannot control my fear and I am so sad that we might have to cancel the cruise of them.

 

methinks you are hoping to find a reason to cancel. stick with domestic travels or carib cruises if that is the case. while med cruises are definitely not cruises to outer Mongolia, they are wonderfully different than what many cruisers are used to. the ports the history the culture the adventure.

 

we notice the cats but don't pay them any mind. actually I don't recall ever seeing a stry dog but then again I don't really look for them.

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moviefan2010

moviefan2010

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Turkey and Greece should be merged and named Kitty Country. Athens was the only place where I saw more dogs than cats though turtles out numbered both of them. I did see two dogs in Rhodes and took a picture of them since I was so used to only seeing cats. An hour later I got a picture of seven cats lying in the shade under a motorcycle which was definitely a more typical Greek photo.

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vjmatty

vjmatty

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Turkey and Greece should be merged and named Kitty Country. Athens was the only place where I saw more dogs than cats though turtles out numbered both of them. I did see two dogs in Rhodes and took a picture of them since I was so used to only seeing cats. An hour later I got a picture of seven cats lying in the shade under a motorcycle which was definitely a more typical Greek photo.

 

Not only are stray dogs and cats common but you will see many themed calendars with them in the tourist shops... "Cats of Greece" etc. I have also taken pictures of large colonies of cats hanging out on unfinished house cement structures, and single cats on different ruins from Ephesus to Lindos. My favorite pictures however is of a dog.... he is standing on the stone wall surrounding the top of the Acropolis and is looking out over the city.

 

MSCPoesia068_zpsa3d5b708.jpg

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3ssn

3ssn

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Ever since a dog bit me when i was young, I am "not very fond of" dogs. On our Med cruises we did see stray dogs. In Athens in the parc and in Ephesus. But... They are not aggressive at all. They just lie there doing nothing. Take it from a fellow no-dog-cruiser: not worth skipping a cruise over

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agabbymama

agabbymama

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I wonder if the OP went on her cruise in May 2013??? Anybody hear anything more from OP???

 

I didn't see this in time to forewarn OP that we did see packs of dogs in Athens at Temple of Olympian Zeus and the Acropolis. The taxi driver just shooed them away, but seeing 15-20 dogs coming at you regardless of how friendly could definitely put a scare into a person.

 

So definitely be wary of jumping out of the vehicle.

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