The move, unanimously approved by the country’s powerful
Central Archaeological Council, will relax current rules which only allow guide
dogs for disabled visitors into archaeological sites. The ministry did not
specify when the new regulations would be implemented.
The decision is “a first, but important, step toward
harmonizing the framework of accessibility to monuments and archaeological
sites with the standards of other European countries, where entry rules for
pets already apply,” Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said in a ministry press
release.
The council approved the entry of pets provided they are
kept on a leash no more than one meter (3 feet) long, or carried by their
owners in a pouch or a pet carrying case. Owners will also need to show their pet’s
health certificate and carry the necessary accessories to pick up their
animal’s droppings in order to be allowed entry, the ministry said. Larger dogs
will have to be muzzled.
But some of the most popular archaeological sites, such as
the Acropolis of Athens, Knossos in Crete, Ancient Olympia or Delphi, which
tend to get very crowded, will still remain pet-free, as will ancient theaters,
temples, graves and monuments with mosaic floors.
Cages will be installed at the entrances of more than 110
other archaeological sites, the ministry said, so owners can park their pets
during their visit.
Tourism is one of Greece’s main industries, generating
billions of euros in revenue each year.