GREECE faced international calls for action last night after The Northern Echo exposed the torture meted out to puppies on an island paradise.

An investigation by reporters has uncovered the practice of tormenting dogs to drive them half crazy so they become vicious hunters.

Dogs are tied up with wire and left out in the hot summer sun without food, and only a small bowl of filthy water. Animals that do not go wild are sometimes shot.

The practice was discovered by a reporter from The Northern Echo while staying on the Greek isle of Kalymnos - a popular tourist resort for British holidaymakers.

When the torture was revealed by The Northern Echo last night, it prompted the RSPCA, a Greek animal welfare organisation, and the Greek embassy in London to call for an end to the abuse.

Last month, the reporter and her companion discovered a puppy tied up with no food and filthy water.

The locals said that the practice was intended to distress the dog to such a degree that it would turn into a vicious hunter to kill birds and rabbits.

"Hunting dogs have very poor lives in Greece," Carol MacBeth, of the Greek Animal Welfare Fund, told The Northern Echo from her office in Athens.

"They are often chained up all week long with no activity and then expected to go on five-hour hunts on a weekend.

"It is a common practice for Greek hunters to abandon their dogs in the mountains if they are not happy with their performance.

"These dogs have no chance."

She said the worst case of abuse she had heard of was of a hunter who shot his dog because "it did not do the job properly".

The RSPCA is also concerned about the abuse of animals on Greek islands.

"Our international arm is working hard for better animal welfare legislation in Greece," said Lauren Flanagan, North-East regional spokeswoman. "We want to see changes."

She urged tourists who witnessed cases of animal abuse and neglect to write to the RSPCA, an appeal which was repeated by the Greek embassy in London.

Embassy spokesman George Hatzis said: "We are for the protection of animals and want to hear from people who have seen animal abuse so that we can correct this."

Mrs MacBeth said: "Letter-writing campaigns can have tremendous power and can help change attitudes."

She can be contacted through her UK office, at the Greek Animal Welfare fund, 1-2 Castle Lane, London, SW1E 6DN.

The Greek embassy can be contacted at 1A Holland Park, London, W11 3TP.

REPORT BY SHEELAGH CAYGILL