Among the victims of the wildfires that swept through east of Attica last week were hundreds of defenceless animals. One of them, has emerged as a symbol of survival.
According to a report by Reuters, Loukoumaki, a white poodle cross estimated by vets to be about four-and-a-half years old, was found in Mati by animal rescuers two days after the inferno hiding behind a garden barbecue in a brick-built hollow.
One of the volunteers who found Loukoumaki, Artemis Kyriakopoulou said the dog, which is believed to be a stray, was unable to move from the trauma, and had difficulty breathing, his fur singed yellow from the flames and smoke. She eventually managed to lure him out of the hollow with a tin of dog food.
“He just looked like a burnt shaggy rug … Even its eyelashes are burnt; I wonder how this dog survived,” Diana Topali told Reuters.
The 42-year-old is currently fostering Loukoumaki, who has been put on antibiotics and is on the way to recovering.
Along with the 91 people who died as a result of the fires, hundreds of pets and stray animals are believed to have perished.
