Democritus University of Thrace: Department suspends its operation due to dog attack on students

In suspension of operations indefinitelyafter an almost unanimous decision of the Board of Directors, (24-1) the Department of Greek Philology enters Democritus University of Thrace, following consecutive attacks on students by a pack of stray dogs that have been living on campus for many years.

According to what has become known, of the two attacks that occurred within the week, one was very serious, as the student, without showing aggressive behavior, received multiple bites on the abdomen, leg and other parts of the body, while she was saved when two of her fellow students managed to get the rampaging stray away.

The unfortunate girl then took a taxi to Sismanoglio, where she was given first aid, as the dog’s bites had even torn her clothing.

Attacks on a daily basis

As the president of the Department, Grigoris Papagiannis, complains to GRTimes, this decision was taken because the situation after the latest attacks has reached an impasse, with the Rectoral Authorities, but also the municipality of Iasmos, which is responsible for managing the matter, not to take any initiative to protect both professors and students who now fear for their physical integrity.

“We receive such attacks almost on a daily basis. It may not be of this gravity, however there is a pack of over ten dogs, which is permanently on the premises of our department. We cannot go to our offices or classrooms. We stay in our cars for hours, out of fear, because if one person is irritated, they all rise up together,” emphasizes Mr. Papagiannis.

“Almost every day, I send photos and complain to the Rectory Authorities. The librarian was also attacked and thrown to the ground, but no initiative to protect us has been taken so far,” he added.

No promises were kept

As the president of the Department of Greek Philology of the Democritus University of Thrace reports, this issue with attacks by a ferocious pack of dogs has been going on since 2000.

“Since then it has occasionally worsened and sometimes gone into remission, after half-measures are taken. For example, when a problem animal is found, it initially moves away from the spot, but after a few days it returns under the pretext that “this is its natural environment”. And of course the members of the herd are constantly increasing. Recently, eight more dogs were born in front of the Rectory and two more in front of our department, which means that the adults are not sterilized by the municipality, nor by the animal shelter, which they have the obligation to do so” underlines Mr. Papagiannis .

You can’t get to the University by bike

In response to a question about whether the dogs are ferocious due to the remoteness of the area from the urban center and they consider themselves threatened every time someone moves around, the professor of the University of Athens underlines that “the University is outside the city and the buildings are even kilometers away from each other distances. Of course, no one should ever think of arriving on campus by bicycle, because along the way he will find other groups that may attack him, while the lighting both inside and outside the academic institution is very poor. The dogs at the University are there at all hours, every day, and you don’t know when or if they will attack you.”

I had to climb out of the window

Speaking about whether the decision to suspend the department indefinitely is something that can change in the near future, he emphasized that “it will last as long as it takes, as no one understands anything. In the past, I have also gone to the public prosecutor for this matter. Trust me I’m an animal lover. I have dogs in my house. I have never attacked them. At some point, however, measures must be taken for the physical integrity of the University’s people. Recently for this reason I had to leave my office through the window. For now, we have only received promises from the Rector’s Authorities, but also from the municipality, which has not built municipal dog kennels, as the law provides,” adds Mr. Papagiannis to GRTimes.

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