1 00:00:08,571 --> 00:00:10,865 [rooster crows] 2 00:00:12,908 --> 00:00:17,204 [Joan] What this place does for my spirit has been immeasurable. 3 00:00:17,830 --> 00:00:21,042 When you help a cat back to health, you know you have rescued it. 4 00:00:22,001 --> 00:00:24,962 It's the best feeling in the world, and it's incredibly motivating 5 00:00:25,046 --> 00:00:25,921 to keep going. 6 00:00:27,506 --> 00:00:30,009 I always looked for sense of purpose in life, 7 00:00:30,092 --> 00:00:32,678 something that was really deeply fulfilling. 8 00:00:33,262 --> 00:00:35,056 This is quite a sensitive cat. 9 00:00:35,139 --> 00:00:38,809 I think she's been attacked a few times attempting to come back to the house. 10 00:00:38,893 --> 00:00:41,228 I think she just feels harassed or bullied, 11 00:00:41,312 --> 00:00:43,981 and she just decided that she was just done with it. 12 00:00:44,065 --> 00:00:46,859 -[interviewer] You come up here every day? -Yeah. Morning and evening. 13 00:00:47,359 --> 00:00:49,361 [contemplative music playing] 14 00:00:50,112 --> 00:00:53,074 I think the first time I saw a little kitten on the street, 15 00:00:53,157 --> 00:00:55,785 and I knew unless I do something right now, 16 00:00:55,868 --> 00:00:57,495 this kitten is gonna die. 17 00:00:57,578 --> 00:01:00,539 That was just when my life started changing. 18 00:01:18,974 --> 00:01:20,309 When we arrived here first, 19 00:01:20,392 --> 00:01:23,896 I was feeding the cats on the street and the locals, they were shouting at me. 20 00:01:23,979 --> 00:01:26,398 I think they really weren't happy that I was feeding them. 21 00:01:27,316 --> 00:01:30,069 I thought we need to do something seriously about this. 22 00:01:30,569 --> 00:01:33,864 I just realized, you know, we need a sanctuary for the cats here. 23 00:01:35,699 --> 00:01:39,245 When you know that it's not about you, your dramas, your ego, 24 00:01:39,328 --> 00:01:42,289 what goes on inside you, but suddenly it's about this little life, 25 00:01:42,790 --> 00:01:45,334 that's where purpose really means something. 26 00:01:47,378 --> 00:01:49,839 [opening theme music playing] 27 00:02:23,664 --> 00:02:25,166 [peaceful piano music playing] 28 00:02:29,795 --> 00:02:33,299 [Joan] Practically on every corner here on Syros, you will see cats. 29 00:02:34,758 --> 00:02:36,302 You will see them everywhere. 30 00:02:37,469 --> 00:02:40,556 Around every dumpster, little colonies of cats, 31 00:02:41,557 --> 00:02:43,309 little kittens that need help. 32 00:02:43,392 --> 00:02:45,769 I mean, we just find them among these colonies 33 00:02:45,853 --> 00:02:47,313 you find all around the island. 34 00:02:52,026 --> 00:02:55,821 We just happened to walk past yesterday and saw this kitten. 35 00:02:56,488 --> 00:02:58,991 The state of its eyes, we thought it's very a big likelihood 36 00:02:59,074 --> 00:03:02,161 that this kitten is gonna go blind unless we do something for him. 37 00:03:02,244 --> 00:03:03,829 -[Lila hissing] -[Joan] Is that him there? 38 00:03:03,913 --> 00:03:05,539 -[Lila] Yes, that's him. -[Joan] Hi, baby. 39 00:03:06,040 --> 00:03:08,250 -[Lila hissing] -[Joan] Hi, baby. 40 00:03:08,334 --> 00:03:11,670 And we'll go up and make sure that, you know, if the cat is not friendly, 41 00:03:11,754 --> 00:03:13,464 try to gain its trust. 42 00:03:13,547 --> 00:03:14,673 -[meowing] -[Lila] Hey. 43 00:03:15,174 --> 00:03:17,426 -[Joan] His eyes look bad. -[can rattling] 44 00:03:17,509 --> 00:03:18,636 [Joan] He's got a cold. 45 00:03:18,719 --> 00:03:20,429 -He's definitely got a cold. -[Lila] Okay. 46 00:03:20,512 --> 00:03:21,597 -Hi, baby. -[cat meows] 47 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:23,766 If we see a sick cat, we'll rescue it for sure, 48 00:03:23,849 --> 00:03:27,353 and then we immediately call a vet clinic and say, "Can we bring in this cat?" 49 00:03:28,145 --> 00:03:28,979 Ready? 50 00:03:29,063 --> 00:03:32,233 One rainfall, and he would probably get pneumonia. 51 00:03:32,316 --> 00:03:36,403 Pneumonia left untreated, within no time at all, he-- he would die. 52 00:03:38,113 --> 00:03:43,702 There's about 25,000 inhabitants of Syros and an estimated 13,000 cats. 53 00:03:44,328 --> 00:03:47,456 The attitude towards cats here is really that they're pests. 54 00:03:47,539 --> 00:03:50,209 You know, they're like rats and mice, they don't want them around. 55 00:03:50,292 --> 00:03:52,211 They think they're sick, do not touch them, 56 00:03:52,294 --> 00:03:54,255 and this is where I really wanted to come in 57 00:03:54,338 --> 00:03:56,507 and start changing their mentality. 58 00:03:58,884 --> 00:04:01,595 [peaceful music playing] 59 00:04:05,557 --> 00:04:08,018 [Panagiotis] Our island is a small place. 60 00:04:08,102 --> 00:04:12,231 In the old days, there was no neutering program. 61 00:04:13,899 --> 00:04:17,695 So, we ended up with a very large cat population. 62 00:04:17,778 --> 00:04:21,156 I was not a, um… a cat person before. 63 00:04:21,782 --> 00:04:25,786 The first approach was that there were too many. [chuckles] 64 00:04:27,413 --> 00:04:29,832 [George] Most people love cats. 65 00:04:30,916 --> 00:04:32,710 I don't know why that is. 66 00:04:35,296 --> 00:04:37,715 [Manolis] I came to the island ten years ago. 67 00:04:37,798 --> 00:04:39,633 I didn't know the situation here. 68 00:04:40,259 --> 00:04:43,012 I saw thousands of stray cats. 69 00:04:43,095 --> 00:04:45,389 They were breeding uncontrollably. 70 00:04:46,056 --> 00:04:48,976 It was a vicious cycle of births and deaths. 71 00:04:55,399 --> 00:04:59,862 We have become somewhat known for this cat sanctuary 72 00:04:59,945 --> 00:05:02,906 that we started about ten years ago. 73 00:05:05,909 --> 00:05:08,454 [Joan] We got about 20 cats that are waiting for adoption. 74 00:05:08,537 --> 00:05:10,539 [clicks tongue] Go on, you. 75 00:05:10,622 --> 00:05:13,542 And if we could get them all off to new homes, you know, 76 00:05:13,625 --> 00:05:15,586 it frees us up so we can do more. 77 00:05:16,503 --> 00:05:18,714 Mostly, they come with some kind of health issues 78 00:05:18,797 --> 00:05:20,924 we'll have to help them through first. 79 00:05:21,008 --> 00:05:23,510 And then, usually, we'll get them vaccinated, 80 00:05:23,594 --> 00:05:24,928 and then we wait a few weeks 81 00:05:25,012 --> 00:05:28,349 just to make sure that they don't have any adverse effect from the vaccination, 82 00:05:28,432 --> 00:05:31,560 and then they're pretty much ready to be on their way. 83 00:05:32,186 --> 00:05:33,228 [clicks tongue] 84 00:05:33,771 --> 00:05:36,106 The adoptions process is not actually that easy, 85 00:05:36,190 --> 00:05:39,443 because we try and get the cats adopted internationally. 86 00:05:39,526 --> 00:05:40,569 It's a major process. 87 00:05:40,652 --> 00:05:42,905 First of all, to find the people on Facebook. 88 00:05:42,988 --> 00:05:44,281 So, then people write to us, 89 00:05:44,365 --> 00:05:46,992 and we try and see what's the background of this person, 90 00:05:47,076 --> 00:05:48,369 are they really suitable? 91 00:05:49,370 --> 00:05:55,376 We have sent cats to Germany, Canada, Denmark, Switzerland. 92 00:05:55,459 --> 00:05:56,585 Everywhere, really. 93 00:05:57,294 --> 00:06:00,756 It's such a major process to get it here from Syros to Athens Airport, 94 00:06:00,839 --> 00:06:03,801 then from Athens Airport to wherever they're going in the world. 95 00:06:04,301 --> 00:06:07,554 A very big part of doing what we do is to connect with the cats, 96 00:06:07,638 --> 00:06:08,680 give them names. 97 00:06:08,764 --> 00:06:11,683 Just letting them know that you matter to us. 98 00:06:11,767 --> 00:06:13,394 [Lila speaking French] 99 00:06:14,228 --> 00:06:17,314 [Joan, in English] When we found Bella, we didn't actually at first know anything 100 00:06:17,398 --> 00:06:18,816 about her nose cancer. 101 00:06:19,483 --> 00:06:23,112 She's already had surgery, and we have had to keep Bella separate. 102 00:06:23,946 --> 00:06:25,572 We thought with the nose cancer, 103 00:06:25,656 --> 00:06:28,075 there's not a chance we'll ever get her adopted. 104 00:06:28,659 --> 00:06:30,494 It'd be unlikely someone would sign up 105 00:06:30,577 --> 00:06:33,247 to take responsibility for a cat like that. 106 00:06:34,206 --> 00:06:35,958 [Lila] She's such a special cat. 107 00:06:37,626 --> 00:06:40,087 She really enjoys the cuddle sessions, 108 00:06:40,170 --> 00:06:43,799 and she's coming to sleep next to me every night. 109 00:06:43,882 --> 00:06:46,260 So, yeah, there is something between us. 110 00:06:47,010 --> 00:06:48,887 [gentle music playing] 111 00:06:53,350 --> 00:06:57,479 [Joan] I'm from Denmark, and in Denmark, cats have an entirely different life. 112 00:06:58,564 --> 00:07:00,566 I've had quite a varied experience in life. 113 00:07:00,649 --> 00:07:03,360 I started out studying fashion when I was really young, 114 00:07:03,444 --> 00:07:06,697 and for a while, I had my own company designing handbags. 115 00:07:06,780 --> 00:07:09,324 It felt great, but there was something missing, 116 00:07:09,908 --> 00:07:13,078 and it was like there was a greater sense of purpose missing in it. 117 00:07:14,037 --> 00:07:17,791 At the age of 16, on my way to school one day, 118 00:07:17,875 --> 00:07:21,336 I didn't get on the bus to go to school 119 00:07:22,087 --> 00:07:27,217 but came home as if guided by a light of some kind, 120 00:07:27,301 --> 00:07:31,388 took my passport and money, and I went to Heathrow Airport, 121 00:07:31,472 --> 00:07:34,391 and I took a flight to New York. 122 00:07:34,975 --> 00:07:36,643 And I began a journey 123 00:07:36,727 --> 00:07:41,648 of trying to understand what the human purpose was. 124 00:07:42,524 --> 00:07:46,653 [Joan] We actually met-- He was doing a seminar on The Art of Being Human, 125 00:07:47,279 --> 00:07:49,990 and that was something that, of course, fascinated me deeply. 126 00:07:51,033 --> 00:07:53,619 [Richard] She had left home at about the same age. 127 00:07:53,702 --> 00:07:56,830 We instantly fell for each other, 128 00:07:56,914 --> 00:07:59,750 and so we grew together, 129 00:07:59,833 --> 00:08:03,795 and we've been together for 27 years, I think it is. 130 00:08:05,130 --> 00:08:07,883 [Joan] Hi, sweetie. Go on. Come on. [clicks tongue] 131 00:08:08,425 --> 00:08:10,177 Lucas, come. 132 00:08:10,677 --> 00:08:12,054 [Richard] You seen Cham Cham? 133 00:08:12,554 --> 00:08:13,472 [Joan] No. 134 00:08:16,683 --> 00:08:19,394 This is Benji, also known as Juju. 135 00:08:19,478 --> 00:08:22,898 -Tiny. Come on, Tiny. -[Joan] Tiny, come on. 136 00:08:23,690 --> 00:08:24,942 [Richard] Is that Noogie? 137 00:08:25,817 --> 00:08:27,569 -[Joan] It's Noogie. -[Richard] That's Noogie. 138 00:08:28,070 --> 00:08:29,154 This is Mous Mous. 139 00:08:30,364 --> 00:08:33,367 It's like a little mustache. 140 00:08:34,993 --> 00:08:36,161 [Lila] Oh, hey… [indistinct] 141 00:08:36,245 --> 00:08:39,289 [Joan] Lila, she's, uh, amazing because with no time at all, 142 00:08:39,373 --> 00:08:40,958 and this is the honest truth, 143 00:08:41,041 --> 00:08:44,503 she knew the names of all 65 cats, and I was just amazed. 144 00:08:44,586 --> 00:08:49,466 Here is Temple, here is Sammy, here is Polly, here is Banjo, 145 00:08:49,550 --> 00:08:50,676 here is Coco. 146 00:08:50,759 --> 00:08:54,096 There is Kali, Lucas, Tiny, Snowy. 147 00:08:55,264 --> 00:08:56,682 [gentle music playing] 148 00:08:56,765 --> 00:09:00,435 [Lila] Richard and Joan are 100% committed to the cats, 149 00:09:00,519 --> 00:09:03,105 but they are quite private persons. 150 00:09:05,232 --> 00:09:08,652 [Richard] We lived a very luxurious life in Denmark. 151 00:09:09,444 --> 00:09:12,864 And we bought a house actually next door to the queen, 152 00:09:12,948 --> 00:09:15,075 her summer residence. 153 00:09:16,451 --> 00:09:18,287 And the prince of Denmark 154 00:09:18,370 --> 00:09:22,374 would come jogging by in the morning with his soldiers, 155 00:09:22,457 --> 00:09:25,377 and one of them was playing a little pipe, and he would jog by, 156 00:09:25,460 --> 00:09:29,965 and he would give a very royal, tiny nod to us if he saw us. 157 00:09:31,008 --> 00:09:32,009 We traveled the world. 158 00:09:32,092 --> 00:09:34,094 We've been in England, we've been in America, 159 00:09:34,177 --> 00:09:35,846 we've been in Canada for a while. 160 00:09:35,929 --> 00:09:38,599 We both, I think, were really just looking for a place 161 00:09:38,682 --> 00:09:40,350 where we felt we could settle down. 162 00:09:40,434 --> 00:09:42,561 I think he knew that I was looking for something 163 00:09:42,644 --> 00:09:44,855 where I could feel fulfillment in my life. 164 00:09:45,397 --> 00:09:49,318 Somewhere in those years, my health declined significantly 165 00:09:49,401 --> 00:09:53,363 to the point where my doctor, who had sent me to every specialist, said, 166 00:09:53,447 --> 00:09:55,490 "I can do nothing more for you." 167 00:09:56,742 --> 00:09:58,702 [Joan] He was diagnosed with chronic fatigue. 168 00:09:58,785 --> 00:10:00,037 He was tired all the time, 169 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:03,248 would just have to lay down most of the day. 170 00:10:03,332 --> 00:10:06,376 He said, "Couldn't you go and live in the Mediterranean 171 00:10:06,460 --> 00:10:09,588 and just sit by the water?" 172 00:10:09,671 --> 00:10:14,259 And by a strange happenchance, we came to Syros. 173 00:10:14,885 --> 00:10:17,471 We couldn't have chosen a worse time to move to Greece. 174 00:10:18,055 --> 00:10:21,058 It was when the crisis first started in 2008. 175 00:10:21,141 --> 00:10:23,310 Shops were closing down one by one. 176 00:10:23,393 --> 00:10:26,647 We-- we reached a point where we had no money. 177 00:10:26,730 --> 00:10:28,231 I mean, not one penny. 178 00:10:28,857 --> 00:10:31,943 By this time, we'd invested everything from Denmark in this place, 179 00:10:32,027 --> 00:10:36,156 but it was the feeling of this is either the end of the end, 180 00:10:36,239 --> 00:10:39,201 or the end of the beginning, or the beginning of the end. 181 00:10:39,284 --> 00:10:40,827 We didn't know which one. 182 00:10:41,953 --> 00:10:44,039 [Joan] I think we'd only been here a few weeks. 183 00:10:44,122 --> 00:10:47,376 Richard, he came in and he said, "I think I saw a kitten in the garden." 184 00:10:47,459 --> 00:10:50,170 And sure enough, there's two little kittens in the bush, 185 00:10:50,253 --> 00:10:51,463 hiding in the bush, 186 00:10:51,546 --> 00:10:53,423 and one of them was really ill, 187 00:10:53,507 --> 00:10:56,385 and I immediately knew I had to trap it and take it to the vet. 188 00:10:57,135 --> 00:10:59,846 The vet told me he didn't think this kitten would make it, 189 00:10:59,930 --> 00:11:03,433 but I persisted because I think I was open to it. 190 00:11:04,226 --> 00:11:07,771 Just sitting down every day, making sure he got antibiotics. 191 00:11:09,606 --> 00:11:12,693 Having rescued one life, you want to rescue another one. 192 00:11:12,776 --> 00:11:13,777 [meows] 193 00:11:13,860 --> 00:11:17,864 You just saved a life. That feeling, you cannot describe that. 194 00:11:22,202 --> 00:11:25,789 Joan and I made an agreement that 20, that was it. 195 00:11:26,415 --> 00:11:28,458 "We gotta keep it under 25, 196 00:11:29,126 --> 00:11:30,585 'cause 30 is--" 197 00:11:30,669 --> 00:11:33,714 "Okay, 30 is the limit." 198 00:11:33,797 --> 00:11:35,590 "I-I'm not going beyond 35." 199 00:11:35,674 --> 00:11:38,135 "I mean, who has 35 cats?" 200 00:11:38,218 --> 00:11:41,012 [Joan] I think we have now-- We have about 65 cats. 201 00:11:41,722 --> 00:11:45,809 It puts a pressure on us every single time from the moment, when we rescue a cat, 202 00:11:45,892 --> 00:11:47,352 because this place is just-- 203 00:11:47,436 --> 00:11:49,813 It's too packed, really, and we do need more space. 204 00:11:49,896 --> 00:11:53,233 We really desperately need more space for it to not be quite so cramped 205 00:11:53,316 --> 00:11:54,860 for the cats that do live here. 206 00:11:56,903 --> 00:11:59,322 I was not very knowledgeable when I first started out. 207 00:11:59,406 --> 00:12:02,784 We had a kitten that just used to sit here with me, 208 00:12:02,868 --> 00:12:04,953 and she would suckle, and she would be so needy, 209 00:12:05,036 --> 00:12:06,538 and I had such a connection with her. 210 00:12:06,621 --> 00:12:08,832 I thought, "They're all healthy the first year." 211 00:12:08,915 --> 00:12:11,042 "They're all healthy, all our rescues are good." 212 00:12:11,126 --> 00:12:13,837 When the first winter hit, she became very ill. 213 00:12:14,379 --> 00:12:18,383 I didn't know what happened to her, but she just went down like that, 214 00:12:18,467 --> 00:12:21,511 and it turned out we had our first outbreak of the parvovirus, 215 00:12:21,595 --> 00:12:24,181 which is absolutely deadly if cats are not vaccinated. 216 00:12:25,265 --> 00:12:28,643 It was especially painful for me because the vet had said, 217 00:12:28,727 --> 00:12:31,688 "If this cat had had vaccination, she would not have died." 218 00:12:33,774 --> 00:12:37,027 When you learn the hard way, it hits you hard sometimes. 219 00:12:40,030 --> 00:12:42,073 This kitten that we found on the street, 220 00:12:42,157 --> 00:12:44,201 the first concern would be for his eyesight. 221 00:12:44,284 --> 00:12:47,204 If his eyesight went, he would be in danger, basically. 222 00:12:50,540 --> 00:12:53,043 -So, he's got very bad eyes. -[Maragkos] Yes. 223 00:12:53,126 --> 00:12:55,921 [Joan] And he's-- he's been sneezing and coughing as well, 224 00:12:56,004 --> 00:12:57,756 so he's definitely got a cold. 225 00:12:59,466 --> 00:13:02,761 [Maragkos] You see the-- the red thing around the-- the teeth? 226 00:13:02,844 --> 00:13:04,012 [Joan] Aw, poor baby. 227 00:13:04,095 --> 00:13:07,307 [Richard] Joan is especially concerned with this little kitten. 228 00:13:07,390 --> 00:13:09,768 It's been wobbling along, 229 00:13:09,851 --> 00:13:15,857 and that calls out of Joan this motherly love for the cat. 230 00:13:17,150 --> 00:13:19,861 -[Maragkos] He could have fungus. -[Joan] Fungus? Okay, wow. 231 00:13:19,945 --> 00:13:22,739 -[Joan] We gotta be careful. -[Maragkos] You have to keep him separate. 232 00:13:22,823 --> 00:13:23,824 -Yes. -[Joan] Yeah, okay. 233 00:13:25,408 --> 00:13:26,326 [Maragkos] Okay. 234 00:13:26,409 --> 00:13:29,579 [Joan] What's the situation with his eyes? Because they look quite bad to me. 235 00:13:29,663 --> 00:13:32,541 -[Maragkos] He has, uh, cat flu. -[Joan] Okay. 236 00:13:32,624 --> 00:13:35,418 [Maragkos] So, I have to put something for fleas and ticks… 237 00:13:35,502 --> 00:13:38,296 -Joan] Yes. -…and, uh, in the next two, three weeks, 238 00:13:38,380 --> 00:13:40,173 -we will have to vaccinate him. -[Joan] Yes. 239 00:13:40,257 --> 00:13:43,468 [Lila] George, can you-- can you tell us how old is the cat? 240 00:13:43,552 --> 00:13:45,971 -[Maragkos] How old? About five months. -[Lila] How old. 241 00:13:46,054 --> 00:13:47,305 -[Joan] Okay. -[Lila] Thank you. 242 00:13:47,389 --> 00:13:48,849 -[Joan] Okay. -[Richard] He's small. 243 00:13:48,932 --> 00:13:51,351 -[Joan] Yeah, he is. Small for his age. -[Richard] Very small. 244 00:13:51,434 --> 00:13:52,727 -[Joan] Very sweet. -[meows] 245 00:13:52,811 --> 00:13:56,731 [Maragkos] Joan comes here with a stray almost every week. 246 00:13:57,566 --> 00:13:58,984 This is amazing, I mean, 247 00:13:59,067 --> 00:14:01,653 this is a… a lesson for the life. 248 00:14:01,736 --> 00:14:02,904 How can I say? 249 00:14:02,988 --> 00:14:07,200 She… she saves his life, absolutely. 250 00:14:07,742 --> 00:14:09,119 [gentle music playing] 251 00:14:09,202 --> 00:14:12,998 [Joan] It's a big thing to realize that, uh, you can't save them all. 252 00:14:13,498 --> 00:14:15,333 But, I mean, as they say, 253 00:14:15,417 --> 00:14:18,253 it makes a big difference for the one cat you can save. 254 00:14:19,588 --> 00:14:22,340 [Richard] Nothing is done loosely with Joan about the cats. 255 00:14:23,383 --> 00:14:25,760 It's a very busy day. It's seven days a week. 256 00:14:25,844 --> 00:14:28,138 [uplifting guitar music playing] 257 00:14:28,221 --> 00:14:30,891 You know, I-- I love the cats, I cuddle the cats. 258 00:14:30,974 --> 00:14:34,686 I can't emphasize enough how much this is Joan's work. 259 00:14:35,270 --> 00:14:37,272 You know, I'm just there for Joan. 260 00:14:39,941 --> 00:14:43,403 She begins the day at about quarter to seven. 261 00:14:43,904 --> 00:14:46,740 She'll feed the lower sanctuary cats, 262 00:14:47,657 --> 00:14:50,827 then the middle sanctuary cats. 263 00:14:51,578 --> 00:14:52,996 The top sanctuary cats. 264 00:14:53,788 --> 00:14:56,249 -[Joan] Come on, sweetie. -[Richard] The back-door cats. 265 00:14:56,750 --> 00:14:59,044 The back-of-the-middle-house cats. 266 00:14:59,878 --> 00:15:03,423 And all the time notating if anyone's missing, 267 00:15:03,506 --> 00:15:06,468 and if they are, she'll head off into the hills around 268 00:15:06,551 --> 00:15:07,844 until she finds them. 269 00:15:09,095 --> 00:15:11,139 While we've been here for the last ten years, 270 00:15:11,222 --> 00:15:13,767 Richard has been in full support of what I've been doing. 271 00:15:15,143 --> 00:15:17,312 It's just been beautiful to see him work. 272 00:15:18,521 --> 00:15:21,107 Can-- can we try just one… 273 00:15:21,191 --> 00:15:22,859 [in Greek] One, uh… 274 00:15:23,485 --> 00:15:25,737 -[in English] Not rosemary. Lavender? -Lavender? 275 00:15:25,820 --> 00:15:28,114 Can we try [in Greek] one  [in English] today? 276 00:15:28,823 --> 00:15:29,866 Um… 277 00:15:31,368 --> 00:15:32,243 [Lila] Richard? 278 00:15:32,327 --> 00:15:33,495 [laughing] 279 00:15:34,245 --> 00:15:37,248 I-I don't know what-- what to say about him. 280 00:15:37,332 --> 00:15:39,417 He loves spending time down in the garden. 281 00:15:39,501 --> 00:15:41,836 Exactly. A little patio. 282 00:15:42,420 --> 00:15:44,255 And, um, they can sit-- 283 00:15:45,090 --> 00:15:47,217 [worker] These are done with stone and mud. 284 00:15:48,593 --> 00:15:50,136 We did this together, right? 285 00:15:50,220 --> 00:15:53,640 -Exactly. We do it together. -[laughing] Together. 286 00:15:53,723 --> 00:15:54,975 [both laughing] 287 00:15:57,018 --> 00:15:59,646 [Joan] We have this belief that if we took on a project like this, 288 00:15:59,729 --> 00:16:02,941 we-- we would just have, you know, an endless stream of people 289 00:16:03,024 --> 00:16:05,902 who'd love to come volunteer, people who want to do good for the cats, 290 00:16:05,986 --> 00:16:09,823 stay in this beautiful location at the same time as helping the cats. 291 00:16:11,074 --> 00:16:15,870 I remember meeting Lila in the field and going back home and saying, 292 00:16:15,954 --> 00:16:19,833 "I just met this young French lady, and she seems really great." 293 00:16:20,458 --> 00:16:22,711 [Joan] I knew very quickly, she's very serious about this 294 00:16:22,794 --> 00:16:25,338 and has a real genuine interest in the cats as well 295 00:16:25,422 --> 00:16:27,340 -and wanting to learn about them. -[Richard] Mm. 296 00:16:27,424 --> 00:16:29,592 [gentle music playing] 297 00:16:36,391 --> 00:16:39,269 [Lila] I finished my master degree in History of Art, 298 00:16:39,352 --> 00:16:42,647 and I decided to go around the world with my boyfriend, 299 00:16:42,731 --> 00:16:45,650 and 2020 was not a good year to decide that. 300 00:16:46,484 --> 00:16:48,236 We met Richard and Joan, 301 00:16:49,029 --> 00:16:53,199 and we just fell in love immediately with the cats, 302 00:16:53,783 --> 00:16:55,785 with them, with the place. 303 00:16:56,369 --> 00:16:58,955 And she gave me the responsibility of feeding the cats 304 00:16:59,039 --> 00:17:00,665 every night in the field. 305 00:17:02,417 --> 00:17:06,129 One week turned into two, two weeks turned into one month, 306 00:17:06,212 --> 00:17:07,964 and then it never ended. 307 00:17:09,132 --> 00:17:11,384 I am still here, five months now. 308 00:17:12,093 --> 00:17:13,595 Hello, Harry. 309 00:17:13,678 --> 00:17:16,431 And now my boyfriend is in Ecuador. 310 00:17:17,098 --> 00:17:19,726 I'm gonna join him for a month or two, 311 00:17:20,226 --> 00:17:24,814 and then I will come back here, and we'll see what life give us. 312 00:17:24,898 --> 00:17:25,982 [laughing] 313 00:17:26,066 --> 00:17:28,943 These cats are, uh, stray cats 314 00:17:29,027 --> 00:17:32,113 that we take care of every day, morning and evening. 315 00:17:33,323 --> 00:17:36,826 And, um, they are all sterilized. 316 00:17:39,120 --> 00:17:43,166 I can spend 15, 30 minutes with them. 317 00:17:43,249 --> 00:17:48,838 Changing the water, feeding, checking that everybody is all right, 318 00:17:48,922 --> 00:17:50,924 and, uh, spending time with them. 319 00:17:51,883 --> 00:17:56,596 [chuckles] You know that cats love to eat a lot. [laughing] 320 00:17:56,679 --> 00:17:59,015 [Joan] At the time we started doing something for the cats, 321 00:17:59,099 --> 00:18:01,935 we saw more and more people being more involved, 322 00:18:02,018 --> 00:18:04,104 the vet starting to do neutering. 323 00:18:04,187 --> 00:18:06,481 The locals can see that with very little… 324 00:18:06,564 --> 00:18:07,774 I mean, spay and neuter, 325 00:18:07,857 --> 00:18:10,610 and giving them just a decent mouthful of food every day, 326 00:18:10,693 --> 00:18:11,611 some fresh water… 327 00:18:11,694 --> 00:18:13,822 It's amazing the difference you can do for cats. 328 00:18:14,697 --> 00:18:17,158 -[cat meowing] -[Dorothea] Come, little ones. 329 00:18:19,577 --> 00:18:21,412 [Stefanoy] The neighbors scold them, 330 00:18:21,496 --> 00:18:24,874 because they don't feed the cats in their own space. 331 00:18:25,834 --> 00:18:28,294 They put the food right here. 332 00:18:34,008 --> 00:18:36,344 [Dorothea] They eat however much you give them. 333 00:18:36,427 --> 00:18:38,513 I feed them every day. 334 00:18:42,517 --> 00:18:45,478 [Manolis] We started making some cat cafes on the island, 335 00:18:47,272 --> 00:18:50,441 neutering the cats that were living in the cat cafes. 336 00:18:52,569 --> 00:18:54,612 I must say we have no funding. 337 00:18:55,113 --> 00:18:59,826 We give our personal money. We have no money left. [laughing] 338 00:19:01,995 --> 00:19:05,123 I have spent 15,000 euros in the last five years. 339 00:19:05,707 --> 00:19:07,250 That's off the record, of course. 340 00:19:10,712 --> 00:19:14,632 [Panagiotis] We are lucky to have people like Manolis Vorrisis, the vet, 341 00:19:15,133 --> 00:19:16,968 who goes to a lot of trouble 342 00:19:17,051 --> 00:19:19,470 to help stray cats find shelter. 343 00:19:22,974 --> 00:19:24,851 [Lila] So how do you want to proceed? 344 00:19:24,934 --> 00:19:26,728 [Manolis] We'll see. Don't know this area well, 345 00:19:26,811 --> 00:19:29,355 but I think maybe if you call them, they will come here. 346 00:19:29,439 --> 00:19:31,649 -[Lila] Okay. -[Joan] Flora said these cats are easy… 347 00:19:31,733 --> 00:19:33,651 [Lila] So, it's "trapping, neutering, return." 348 00:19:33,735 --> 00:19:36,279 That's the official term of what we do. 349 00:19:36,988 --> 00:19:40,825 And the point is to control the burst population of the cats. 350 00:19:40,909 --> 00:19:44,454 These ten cats will not become 50. [chuckles] 351 00:19:44,537 --> 00:19:47,540 It's just ten cats that will stay ten cats. 352 00:19:47,624 --> 00:19:50,418 -Manos, do you need all the cages? -[Manolis] I don't know. 353 00:19:50,501 --> 00:19:54,756 We'll have to sit back for ten minutes for the cats to come to us… 354 00:19:54,839 --> 00:19:56,132 -[Joan] Yeah, okay. -…to relax. 355 00:19:56,216 --> 00:19:57,550 We'll try to get the boy. 356 00:19:58,051 --> 00:19:59,302 [Manolis clicking tongue] 357 00:19:59,385 --> 00:20:01,763 [Joan] So, Manos, he is one of the vets we met, 358 00:20:01,846 --> 00:20:04,974 actually, the same month we arrived on this island ten years ago. 359 00:20:05,975 --> 00:20:08,686 At the time, we started to do neutering for the cats, 360 00:20:08,770 --> 00:20:11,606 which is where it really started to make a big difference. 361 00:20:12,690 --> 00:20:15,610 With the incredible number of cats we have on this island, 362 00:20:15,693 --> 00:20:16,903 the problem is huge. 363 00:20:19,239 --> 00:20:22,075 So, we take a weekend where it's just all hands on deck, 364 00:20:22,158 --> 00:20:25,036 trap the cats, bring them to the clinic, spay and neuter them, 365 00:20:25,119 --> 00:20:27,872 then the next day, we travel out and release again. 366 00:20:27,956 --> 00:20:30,375 So, TNR, it's a lot of hard work. 367 00:20:37,590 --> 00:20:39,592 We feed about 100 cats every day. 368 00:20:39,676 --> 00:20:43,429 The food alone is really big to just try and collect the funds for that. 369 00:20:43,513 --> 00:20:45,556 [Richard] I gotta get this for Chloe. 370 00:20:45,640 --> 00:20:48,101 -[Joan] Six. -[clerk] Okay. Never mind, leave it. 371 00:20:48,184 --> 00:20:50,770 -[Richard] Yeah? We have six of those. -[clerk] Okay. I know. 372 00:20:53,773 --> 00:20:56,859 -[clerk and Joan, in Greek] Thanks. -[Richard] Thanks, see you. 373 00:20:56,943 --> 00:20:58,528 [all speaking Greek] 374 00:20:58,611 --> 00:21:01,990 [Joan, in English] Doing this for ten years, I realize I can't save them all, 375 00:21:02,073 --> 00:21:04,200 but I do what I can, 376 00:21:04,284 --> 00:21:06,577 and I know that what I do makes a difference. 377 00:21:07,370 --> 00:21:10,873 Obviously, also keeping this place going, to keep everything covered here… 378 00:21:10,957 --> 00:21:12,208 Electricity bill, you know? 379 00:21:12,292 --> 00:21:14,377 In wintertime, we have to keep the cats warm. 380 00:21:14,460 --> 00:21:16,462 So, it's a huge responsibility 381 00:21:16,546 --> 00:21:18,631 and definitely keeps me awake at night as well. 382 00:21:20,758 --> 00:21:24,721 [Richard] Joan works 16 hours a day, never received a penny. 383 00:21:24,804 --> 00:21:29,600 With the volunteers, we ensure that they can have a house, 384 00:21:29,684 --> 00:21:32,020 electricity, use the car, have petrol, 385 00:21:32,103 --> 00:21:36,065 and enough money to eat and not feel stressed, 386 00:21:36,149 --> 00:21:37,358 but it's not a place 387 00:21:37,442 --> 00:21:40,069 that you're gonna come and have an early retirement. 388 00:21:40,153 --> 00:21:43,281 That's not gonna happen with anything to do with animals, 389 00:21:43,364 --> 00:21:47,035 unless you're running something a bit not straight. 390 00:21:51,664 --> 00:21:55,835 [Lila] I'm wearing rubber gloves because this little boy that we found 391 00:21:55,918 --> 00:21:59,589 in the little streets may have fungus on his ears, 392 00:22:00,089 --> 00:22:02,884 and that's a very contagious disease. 393 00:22:02,967 --> 00:22:04,844 Uh, he has a big flu. 394 00:22:04,927 --> 00:22:09,390 So, this is, um, affecting his nose and mouth, 395 00:22:09,474 --> 00:22:12,643 and he has also bad, uh, bad eyes. 396 00:22:12,727 --> 00:22:13,895 [purring] 397 00:22:13,978 --> 00:22:17,648 -[interviewer] Does he have a name yet? -[Lila] We're thinking about "Milo." 398 00:22:18,149 --> 00:22:20,777 That would be a great name for him. 399 00:22:22,195 --> 00:22:25,448 He's very grateful to have been rescued. 400 00:22:25,531 --> 00:22:27,450 He slept all the afternoon. 401 00:22:28,743 --> 00:22:33,247 We already started antibiotics and the drops in the eyes, 402 00:22:33,331 --> 00:22:37,960 and, um, he will stay in this room until we find a home for him. 403 00:22:38,544 --> 00:22:41,798 But hopefully, that will be quick, right? 404 00:22:41,881 --> 00:22:43,800 [uplifting music playing] 405 00:22:45,093 --> 00:22:47,011 [Joan] So, Bella, we are actually extremely lucky 406 00:22:47,095 --> 00:22:49,597 we got a-- an adoption offer for her in the UK. 407 00:22:50,390 --> 00:22:52,934 And because we want to make sure that they travel safely, 408 00:22:53,017 --> 00:22:54,560 we always send an escort. 409 00:22:54,644 --> 00:22:57,188 At the moment, we're lucky enough to have Lila, 410 00:22:57,271 --> 00:22:58,981 who is just a complete find. 411 00:23:00,024 --> 00:23:01,567 This is what makes my heart happy, 412 00:23:01,651 --> 00:23:04,529 and this is when I feel a sense of purpose in my life. 413 00:23:07,532 --> 00:23:11,661 [Lila] I think she will be so happy and fulfilled in that house. 414 00:23:12,161 --> 00:23:13,913 I'm so happy for her. 415 00:23:15,540 --> 00:23:18,209 The first step is to bring her to Athens. 416 00:23:18,292 --> 00:23:19,585 I will take the boat. 417 00:23:19,669 --> 00:23:21,879 It's less stressful, I think. 418 00:23:22,713 --> 00:23:25,299 And then we'll take a flight to Paris, 419 00:23:25,842 --> 00:23:28,010 and then I'll drive her to the UK. 420 00:23:29,095 --> 00:23:34,183 I think I will cry all the tears out because I really love her. 421 00:23:36,727 --> 00:23:39,439 So, Helen, we obviously-- We just really wanted to thank you 422 00:23:39,522 --> 00:23:43,568 because, um, we just thought that we might never find a home for Bella. 423 00:23:43,651 --> 00:23:45,987 Well, we always said when we had another cat 424 00:23:46,070 --> 00:23:50,116 that we wanted to give a-- a home to a cat that maybe was having problems 425 00:23:50,199 --> 00:23:51,909 finding somebody to take them. 426 00:23:51,993 --> 00:23:55,496 So, it's a-- it's a no-brainer. She needs a home. 427 00:23:55,580 --> 00:23:58,040 [Joan] So, Helen, would you like to see a shot of her? 428 00:23:58,124 --> 00:24:00,376 We got her here in the background. Yeah? 429 00:24:00,460 --> 00:24:02,211 -Of course I want to see her. -[Joan] Okay. 430 00:24:02,295 --> 00:24:03,254 [purring] 431 00:24:03,337 --> 00:24:05,506 -Oh, she's enjoying that. -[Joan] She is, yeah. 432 00:24:05,590 --> 00:24:07,258 She loves a fuss, she really does. 433 00:24:07,341 --> 00:24:09,218 This is the thing, you give animals love, 434 00:24:09,302 --> 00:24:12,054 and you just get it back in spades. 435 00:24:12,138 --> 00:24:13,389 [Joan] Precisely. 436 00:24:13,473 --> 00:24:14,432 Hi, Bella. 437 00:24:14,974 --> 00:24:18,478 It's sad because some of them we rescue when they're tiny kittens, 438 00:24:18,561 --> 00:24:22,064 and you get a very deep connection with them when they're that tiny. 439 00:24:22,148 --> 00:24:26,027 So, it's-- it's-- it's very sad, but there's always another kitten waiting. 440 00:24:26,110 --> 00:24:28,321 So, that's how we move on. 441 00:24:30,781 --> 00:24:31,616 [Lila] Flora? 442 00:24:31,699 --> 00:24:34,327 -[Flora] Hello. -[Lila] Hello. [in Greek] Hello. 443 00:24:34,911 --> 00:24:37,663 -[Flora, in English] Fofi will stay out? -Yeah, I think so. 444 00:24:38,164 --> 00:24:40,082 [Flora, in Greek] Inside, inside, inside. 445 00:24:40,166 --> 00:24:43,377 -[kittens meowing loudly] -[Lila, in English] They're crying loudly. 446 00:24:43,461 --> 00:24:45,755 [laughs] They are very hungry. 447 00:24:45,838 --> 00:24:50,426 The kittens that Flora, she's feeding, someone found them in a bin. 448 00:24:51,219 --> 00:24:53,012 They were ten days old. 449 00:24:53,721 --> 00:24:55,431 That's so small. 450 00:24:56,974 --> 00:24:59,185 [kittens meowing] 451 00:25:05,983 --> 00:25:08,611 They opened their eyes two days ago. [chuckling] 452 00:25:08,694 --> 00:25:11,072 [Lila] Yes, I see that. 453 00:25:12,323 --> 00:25:17,328 And, uh, what do you think about the-- the cats here on Syros? 454 00:25:17,411 --> 00:25:19,413 [Flora sighs] I think it gets better. 455 00:25:19,497 --> 00:25:22,833 It was much worse, there was no vet. 456 00:25:22,917 --> 00:25:24,293 There was no-- 457 00:25:24,877 --> 00:25:26,128 Not even a pet shop. 458 00:25:27,213 --> 00:25:31,217 But now we are working with the clinic and with the neutering programs. 459 00:25:31,300 --> 00:25:35,304 And now I'm working with Manolis, 460 00:25:35,388 --> 00:25:38,307 with his feeding stations and his garden, 461 00:25:38,391 --> 00:25:43,437 and we are giving them a completely different image… 462 00:25:43,521 --> 00:25:46,399 -[Lila] Yes. -…of how actually cats are, really. 463 00:25:47,024 --> 00:25:50,194 So, he helps a lot with this. 464 00:25:51,195 --> 00:25:54,240 -This one is much, much… -[Lila] This one is very sleepy. 465 00:25:54,323 --> 00:25:56,867 I'm completely hypnotized by him. 466 00:26:06,377 --> 00:26:08,296 Hey. Hi, Milo. 467 00:26:08,921 --> 00:26:10,631 Come, sweetie. Oh, my goodness. 468 00:26:10,715 --> 00:26:13,384 You were so eager to come out and see the world again. 469 00:26:13,467 --> 00:26:14,760 -[Lila chuckles] -Hey. 470 00:26:14,844 --> 00:26:17,305 -[Lila] Hello, Milo. Oh, yes. -[Joan chuckling] 471 00:26:17,388 --> 00:26:20,558 -[Joan] Look at him. No. -[Lila] You're not gonna stay long, right? 472 00:26:21,058 --> 00:26:23,477 [Joan] But look at him. I mean, his progress is amazing. 473 00:26:23,561 --> 00:26:24,395 [Lila] Oh, my God. 474 00:26:24,478 --> 00:26:26,022 [Joan] Yeah, I mean, in six days, he-- 475 00:26:26,105 --> 00:26:29,150 -[Lila] His eyes are normal, aren't they? -That's quite dramatic, actually. 476 00:26:29,233 --> 00:26:31,152 -Wow. -It's really quite dramatic. 477 00:26:31,861 --> 00:26:34,488 His eyes are just such a perfect example of-- 478 00:26:34,989 --> 00:26:37,742 I mean, because they looked so awful when we found him, 479 00:26:37,825 --> 00:26:41,162 and without the eye drops, again, he would just slowly, you know, 480 00:26:41,245 --> 00:26:44,206 probably eventually go blind because they weren't treated. 481 00:26:44,290 --> 00:26:46,042 He's gained weight as well, for sure. 482 00:26:46,125 --> 00:26:48,919 I mean, I actually think his favorite thing in life is to eat. 483 00:26:49,003 --> 00:26:51,839 He just-- He could eat nonstop if we let him. 484 00:26:51,922 --> 00:26:54,050 Yeah, you're such a happy boy, Milo. 485 00:26:55,092 --> 00:26:58,387 And you got an adoption offer as well. Yes, you do. 486 00:26:58,471 --> 00:26:59,305 [Lila] Mm-hmm. 487 00:26:59,388 --> 00:27:03,059 -Hey, what do you think about that? -What is this adoption offer? 488 00:27:03,142 --> 00:27:05,144 -So, it's actually in Holland. -[Lila] Okay. 489 00:27:05,227 --> 00:27:06,562 -[Joan] Yeah. -[Lila] Good. 490 00:27:06,646 --> 00:27:09,231 [Joan] The family that wants to adopt him has a six-year-old boy. 491 00:27:09,315 --> 00:27:11,525 -Oh, with a kitten like that, too. -So, I-- Yeah. 492 00:27:11,609 --> 00:27:12,985 He will be so happy, yeah. 493 00:27:13,069 --> 00:27:16,030 I think it'll be a really good match because he's so friendly, 494 00:27:16,113 --> 00:27:19,492 and it's not all cats that are this cuddly at his age, 495 00:27:19,575 --> 00:27:21,327 having just come from the street. 496 00:27:21,827 --> 00:27:23,996 Do you want to go to the Netherlands? 497 00:27:24,080 --> 00:27:26,082 -[Joan chuckles] -We have a home for you there. 498 00:27:26,165 --> 00:27:28,376 -[Joan] Yeah. -[Lila] Oh, you're already going. 499 00:27:28,459 --> 00:27:29,502 [both laughing] 500 00:27:29,585 --> 00:27:31,337 -[Lila] "I'm on my way." -[chuckles] 501 00:27:40,096 --> 00:27:41,013 [Lila] Hey, Bella. 502 00:27:41,597 --> 00:27:43,683 -It's hard to say goodbye… -[warm music playing] 503 00:27:43,766 --> 00:27:48,729 …but I know it's to have all the love and care and attention 504 00:27:48,813 --> 00:27:50,940 she never dreamed of. 505 00:27:51,649 --> 00:27:53,818 She was very shy when I arrived, 506 00:27:53,901 --> 00:27:56,862 and she evolved a lot during those few months. 507 00:28:03,911 --> 00:28:05,663 She's such a special cat. 508 00:28:07,456 --> 00:28:09,542 There is something between us, so, of course, 509 00:28:09,625 --> 00:28:12,336 I will be very sad to lose her. 510 00:28:14,797 --> 00:28:15,798 [camera shutter clicks] 511 00:28:20,094 --> 00:28:23,764 [Richard] Sometimes, Joan finds it difficult to come to these departures. 512 00:28:24,765 --> 00:28:27,727 We cannot not be attached to these cats, 513 00:28:27,810 --> 00:28:30,229 you know, because you love them back to life. 514 00:28:32,356 --> 00:28:33,315 That's our work. 515 00:28:34,483 --> 00:28:38,404 Our work is not to keep them. It's to-- to help them on their way. 516 00:28:44,535 --> 00:28:45,703 You can see them. 517 00:28:45,786 --> 00:28:48,080 I don't know if you went around the island-- 518 00:28:48,164 --> 00:28:52,793 You see that there are many cats, and nobody is chasing them away. 519 00:28:53,419 --> 00:28:56,505 Some may not like this, but it's okay. 520 00:28:58,090 --> 00:29:02,011 In general, Syros is a good place for the cats. 521 00:29:03,053 --> 00:29:05,139 [gentle music playing] 522 00:29:06,891 --> 00:29:10,102 [Manolis] I think that here in Syros, we can't live without cats. 523 00:29:15,858 --> 00:29:17,651 [Panagiotis] Cats are part of our culture. 524 00:29:20,362 --> 00:29:24,825 It's a proud animal that connects us to Mother Nature. 525 00:29:29,413 --> 00:29:31,457 [Richard] When you see the cats happy, 526 00:29:32,500 --> 00:29:35,711 and you see the gardens laid out the way they are, 527 00:29:35,795 --> 00:29:40,090 it is unto itself, uh, a delight. 528 00:29:40,174 --> 00:29:42,760 And there's quietness everywhere. 529 00:29:42,843 --> 00:29:43,719 Come on… 530 00:29:44,762 --> 00:29:47,556 [Joan] The cats, they bring us so much happiness. 531 00:29:47,640 --> 00:29:51,477 Their little faces, each their little personal characters. 532 00:29:52,019 --> 00:29:54,313 Their energy just fills this place with life, 533 00:29:54,396 --> 00:29:55,940 and it's beautiful. 534 00:29:56,023 --> 00:29:58,359 [Richard] [indistinct] these steps done. 535 00:29:58,442 --> 00:29:59,860 -To the roof. -[Joan] Oh, okay. 536 00:29:59,944 --> 00:30:03,405 There's this joke that they say that cat rescue is a bit like the mafia. 537 00:30:03,489 --> 00:30:05,533 You know, once you're in, there's no way out. 538 00:30:07,535 --> 00:30:10,830 For ten years, this has been abandoned at the bottom of our garden. 539 00:30:10,913 --> 00:30:13,999 I mean, the sanctuary is what, ten meters over there? 540 00:30:14,583 --> 00:30:16,544 It's just been our ideal vision 541 00:30:16,627 --> 00:30:19,421 of what could be a little sanctuary village. 542 00:30:19,505 --> 00:30:21,674 -[Joan] Mm. -[Richard] It's just so strange 543 00:30:21,757 --> 00:30:24,552 that it's been here, and it's for sale. 544 00:30:24,635 --> 00:30:25,469 [both chuckling] 545 00:30:26,303 --> 00:30:28,764 These are the ones most finished, these three, 546 00:30:28,848 --> 00:30:33,269 which will be for the volunteers, visitors, helpers. 547 00:30:33,853 --> 00:30:36,730 That one, it will be a little adoption center. 548 00:30:38,065 --> 00:30:41,402 [Joan] From the moment we pick them up, and they're sick and they're ill, 549 00:30:41,485 --> 00:30:43,696 and some of them you think are not gonna make it, 550 00:30:43,779 --> 00:30:45,114 and they pull through… 551 00:30:46,490 --> 00:30:49,743 Getting them to heal up, taking them through that whole process, 552 00:30:50,327 --> 00:30:52,705 seeing them bloom, coming back to life. 553 00:30:52,788 --> 00:30:55,791 It's like you can just see the light coming back into them again. 554 00:30:56,667 --> 00:30:58,586 And then to finding a home for them 555 00:30:58,669 --> 00:31:00,671 and eventually seeing pictures of them in a home 556 00:31:00,754 --> 00:31:02,840 where they are so loved, and they're, you know, 557 00:31:02,923 --> 00:31:04,884 living the life a cat should live… 558 00:31:05,384 --> 00:31:08,387 It's just-- it's incredible. It's just absolutely incredible. 559 00:31:10,556 --> 00:31:14,560 [Richard] It's the idea of a sanctuary village for the cats, 560 00:31:14,643 --> 00:31:18,898 for Syros to see the natural world's thriving. 561 00:31:19,648 --> 00:31:21,692 Not more than 500, Joan. 562 00:31:21,775 --> 00:31:23,360 -Promise me. Not more than-- -[Joan] Okay. 563 00:31:23,444 --> 00:31:25,988 -[Richard] All right, 1,000, is it? -[Joan] Okay, fair enough. 564 00:31:29,116 --> 00:31:30,951 [warm music playing] 565 00:31:46,508 --> 00:31:48,469 [closing theme music playing]