The recent earthquakes in Santorini have forced the evacuation of more than 11,000 people, leaving the island deserted.
Heartbreakingly, amidst this mass exodus, there are those who cannot escape: the animals.
At the mercy of fate
This sudden evacuation has led to the abandonment of dogs, cats, donkeys, and other animals that depend on the residents of the Greek island.
The situation has given rise to numerous videos and images on the internet of animals wandering disoriented around Santorini, as they try to work out where all the humans have gone.
"We pray for you"
A clip shared recently to TikTok, captures the emblematic white houses with blue roofs, before zooming in on a ginger cat.
Animal lovers and advocates around the world have responded with concern and solidarity.
"There is no justification for leaving them abandoned alone to their fate, truly there are people who do not deserve to have companion animals in their lives," one user recently commented.
"Let us pray for the animals who are left to fend for themselves without food and cannot understand why they were abandoned 😭", added another.
The Santorini Animal Welfare Association (SAWA) team has remained on island, preparing to make space for more animals in need.
