All bad things you need to know about “street” dogs in Sithonia

You know how June begins in Sithonia: empty beaches, chilly sea, and cheerful Greeks preparing for the new summer tourist season. That’s how June started for Djuro, a small, happy mixed-breed dog who, together with his owners, spent every June and September in Sithonia for the past 4–5 years.

Everything was planned — every day, one beach in the morning and another in the afternoon. This June 2025, Djuro decided to overcome his fear of water completely and, before all the tourists arrived, enjoy the sea on the most beautiful beaches of Sithonia. Although Djuro is said to be a mix of poodle and bichon, weighing just over 5 kg, he proved to be the brave one. On the morning of June 5th, 2025, he entered the sea up to his neck on the completely empty Akti Salonikiou beach.

The choice for the next swim was the magnificent Trani Ammouda Beach, for a quick dip before lunch. We arrived at the completely empty Trani Ammouda and laid our towels about 15 meters from the well-known Le Mantri Beach Bar. On the other side, from the lifeguard tower, a young lifeguard greeted us with a friendly wave and a loud “kalimera” from his lifeguard tower.

What a great beach, what a great swim. Djuro also met three older Greek ladies (who were also afraid of the chilly sea), and he was properly pampered by them.

After a quick swim, it was time to head for lunch. A few meters from the car, Djuro spotted a big dog lazily lying in the shade under the lifeguard tower, and happily ran 2 meters, wagging his tail and barking, to greet another big Greek friend…

From that moment on, everything is a blur – no clear images, only frames: the jump of the big dog, Djuro in his jaws, lots of barking and whining, and blood. We all jumped in – both of us owners, the young lifeguard – and reacted very quickly, within 2 seconds. We wrapped Djuro in a towel; a large wound on his back was visible, with a lot of blood on the towel, but he was alive. The lifeguard immediately found a vet clinic in Nikiti (6 minutes away by car), I stepped on the gas, and my girlfriend held Djuro wrapped in the towel in the passenger seat. He looked at us. We kept repeating, “You’re okay, you’ll be fine!” He calmed down, felt safe. We rushed and arrived at the clinic in 3 minutes. Unfortunately, his spine was broken, lungs punctured, and all that was left were the saddest few minutes in the galaxy to say goodbye to our dearest being, our Djuro.

This is not a story to blame anyone. This is an appeal so that something like this never happens to anyone again, and, even more importantly, to tell you all how brave and wonderful Djuro was. 🐾💔

Djuro, the last two footage made just a few minutes before the attack, June 5th, 2025

^{Note: I put the word “street” in quotation marks because, according to unofficial information from local Greeks, this dog does have an owner but was often left unsupervised. This is not a story about stray dogs – it’s about the consequences of irresponsible ownership.}