Hydra defends use of mules
In the wake of the backlash created by images of a mule on Hydra carrying a refrigerator, the island’s mayor, Giorgos Koukoulakis, has argued that working animals are a necessity, adding that no legislation is being violated.
Speaking to state broadcaster ERT, he stressed that these are not donkeys, but mules that can lift up to 100 kilos. Cars are banned on the island.
He noted that a preliminary examination found the refrigerator weighed 67 kilos.
“It’s not something we do for tourist purposes or because we like it. It is a necessity on the island,” Koukoulakis said, adding that a mule costs 4,000-5,000 euros and its owner takes care of it.
“There has never been a recorded case of animal abuse,” he insisted.
