Stray dogs move into Olympic village

ATHENS (Reuters) - Stray dogs have breached security at the Olympic village because heavily armed soldiers regard the animals as friends, the Australian team says.


Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) chief John Coates said dogs were roaming the village that will house 17,000 athletes during the August 13-29 Games in the Greek capital.


Soldiers stationed around the village were petting and feeding the dogs, one AOC official said.


Athens is home to an estimated 15,000 strays. Many dogs are so at home they obey traffic lights when crossing streets and regularly wander on to the pitch at soccer matches.


Coates said that the AOC would be warning team members not to play with the animals.


Greek Olympic organisers had said they would round up strays and place them in temporary kennels during the Games in a bid to make the streets around the Olympic venues safe.