This Sunday, April 2, the Greek people will be able to live the dream of my life and bring their dogs at the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Athens for a “World Stray Animal Day” event. To stir salt in my wounds, the museum said visitors would be greeted by a “puddle of puppies” from the Socrates shelter who are currently looking for forever families.
The museum has partnered with the shelter, opened and funded by the Athens Municipal Department of Urban Wildlife since 2021, to encourage the adoption of stray dogs in need and shed light on the dangerous conditions strays are in faced daily. The shelter is run by professionals and volunteers to help lost animals find their families and strays find new homes, and to ensure that every animal that comes through their doors is treated with love and kindness. The shelter is responsible for the medical care, food and collection of all stray dogs in the municipality.
The National Museum of Contemporary Art boasts that it is the only museum in the Attica region to welcome dogs, noting that its current artistic director, Katerina Gregos, made this goal her priority when she took her functions in July 2021. Visiting guidelines state that the museum accepts animals year-round, not just on the day of the event. Visitors and their pets are encouraged to view the current museum exhibit Modern love (or love in the age of cold intimacies) to “spread a different message of love”.
The “World Stray Animal Day” event runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday. The museum lists some simple ground rules for furry friends: owners should be prepared with their dog’s vaccination records and waste bags in case of an accident and all dogs should be on a leash at all times, no flexible leashes are allowed. Bitches in heat will not be permitted entry.
Those of us who have pets in the United States are out of luck when it comes to visiting famous art museums with our best friends who are not registered service animals, but there are many institutions. spread across the country which have opened their doors to four-legged customers.
