Disaster Response
Rapid animal rescue response as wildfires spread in Greece
Rapid animal rescue response as wildfires spread in Greece
15 September 2025
Hope in the ashes: Saving wildlife and building capacity in Greece
15 September 2025
Rescue missions have been ongoing in Greece, with our partner Save Your Hood combing through forest areas ravaged by wildfires. Up until recent weeks, 176 volunteers rescued 193 wild animals and 216 companion and farm animals. What was striking is that on more than one occasion the team found small groups of tortoises – generally solitary animals – who had seemingly come together to shelter from the fires.
‘Every fire leaves behind losses. Not only in nature, but also in animals who didn't manage to be saved,’ says Vassilis Sfakianopoulos, founder of Save Your Hood. ‘This summer has been a very difficult one, with multiple crises, in many cases taking place simultaneously. However, if we, as civilians, join forces like we did, we can make the impossible possible.’
This year’s is Greece’s fifth most destructive fire season of the past two decades. In response, Save Your Hood not only launched countless rescue missions but also provided remote and in-person guidance to other organisations, sharing animal rescue protocols and supporting local efforts through follow-up and data collection. In preparation for upcoming annual fire seasons, we will collaborate on expanding their animal search and rescue networks, coordination, and training on rescue protocols, responder safety, animal handling, and first aid.
Dog resting after being rescued from the wildfires in Greece in August 2025. Photo: © Save Your Hood
More than 100 animals rescued from Greece wildfires
20 August 2025
The wildfires in Greece have persisted with alarming severity. Hundreds of outbreaks have been recorded nationwide, and tens of thousands of acres have burned. Thousands of firefighters and first responders from Greece and nearby countries are trying to stop the fires from spreading and providing emergency support to people and animals who’ve been displaced.
Save Your Hood’s trained responders are operating multiple rescue missions on the frontlines. They are supported by dozens of volunteers and have already rescued more than 100 animals. Most were wild animals, such as tortoises (including a 2.5-centimetre baby), snakes, and insects, but they also saved two dozen farm animals, including goats and sheep, and several companion animals, including dogs and cats. Apart from stress, some animals suffered burns and respiratory issues.
The animals received emergency care on site. After being checked and hydrated, those deemed healthy enough were released back into the wild, away from the danger. Animals that needed further treatment were taken to ANIMA's clinic and wildlife rehabilitation centre. Unfortunately, some wild animals didn't make it—including tortoises, a porcupine, a snake, and a few unidentifiable mammals.
‘If you ask us why we do it, it’s because we can't do it any other way,’ says Antigoni Karnesioti of Save Your Hood. ‘It is because we feel one with nature and we feel responsible. It is because if they are saved, so are we. A drop in the ocean? So be it. A drop can start a lot. A whole wave. Strangers forming a team, that is how we will get through it. I won't forget the countless texts, calls, smiles, cries, and hugs.’
As part of the local Wildlife Rescue Network, established by Save Your Hood and ANIMA following our joint response to the 2023 wildfires, Save Your Hood coordinates all operations and provides training for rescuers. IFAW’s financial support helps the responders rescue and care for more animals in need during rescue missions.
We remain in close contact with our partners on the ground to deliver targeted aid and prioritise the safety of responders, animals, and communities. Your support is instrumental in making this possible.
Rapid animal rescue response as wildfires spread in Greece
15 August 2020
Wildfires continue to break out across southern Europe, with communities in Greece now facing some of the most urgent threats. We are supporting our long-standing partner, Save Your Hood, in their on-the-ground response to the immediate needs of animals caught in the path of the flames.
A man carries a sheep on the motorcycle during a wildfire in Patras city, western Greece, Wednesday, 13 August, 2025. Photo: Thanassis Stavrakis / © Associated Press
Based on their remote assessments, Save Your Hood has identified three of the most severe wildfires for urgent animal rescue efforts—in Achaia, Filipiada, and Zakynthos. Their teams will deploy to these locations immediately to ensure a coordinated, effective response.
To help get their responders on the ground without delay, IFAW is covering their estimated mobilisation costs. This support will allow trained volunteers and specialists to evacuate animals, provide urgent veterinary care, and reunite pets with their families wherever possible.
Our collaboration with Save Your Hood began during the devastating wildfires that swept through Greece in 2023, when IFAW worked alongside them and fellow partner ANIMA. Following those efforts, we provided capacity-building grants to strengthen their readiness for future disasters. Now, that teamwork is helping to save lives once again.
As the situation in Greece continues to evolve, IFAW will work closely with Save Your Hood and other local partners to assess needs and deliver aid—ensuring that animals and the people who care for them are not left behind in times of crisis.
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