The society that cares for street animals in Istanbul: This is no secret that Turkey cares of the street animals and is taken as an example in the world. Care for street animals is organized throughout the year in all the big cities of the country, so that the street animals live with serenity their freedom of street life.
Freedom and safety for our four-legged and two-legged friends: first of all you have to know that the animals themselves choose a living area, moreover, it is them who decide to settle somewhere, this them who are the ones who adopt local residents, and not the other way around.
They care for their freedom. Dogs, cats, seagulls, crows, street pigeons are under the watchful eye of the inhabitants, who quickly get used to their presence and organize themselves individually or together so that they stay healthy. You can see plenty of animals in crowded places as Kadıköy or Besiktas.
Society and Street Animals in Turkey
The residents are organizing themselves and care for the street animals: neighborhood patrols are active, they distribute food daily for the animals. An instinctive hierarchy operates, cats in the first line, seagulls in the second line, and pigeons and crows in the background. Dogs are more solitary and generally do not participate in the daily distribution of this style. They prefer to wait where they are, on a landing, a stairwell, in front of a means of transport, a restaurant.. they get delivery to the place where they are.
Street animals in winter: shelters from cardboard, polyester, blankets, tarpaulins are created by the residents. Moreover the district officials, the mayors also participate in placing in more sophisticated wooden dwellings for cats and dogs. Shops and restaurants open their doors to animals, it is not uncommon to see a cat in a window, or a dog on a sofa in a store or restaurant.
The health protocol for street animals: the municipalities have set up a brilliant system of ambulance and care 7/7 and 24/24 that every citizen can call for free by phone: 153. They will come and collect the poor animal (all without exception) to bring it to a veterinarian who will volunteer for this organization, who will take care of the animal free of charge. Then the ambulance will bring him back to where he took him, so he won’t be confused any more. This volunteering immediately allows you to save an animal, even if you do not have the financial means, or if you acan not bring him to the vet by car. The decision is quickly made to bring the animal back or have the ambulance intervene to treat the injured or in distress. Easy as pie! and so essential in cities where there are hundreds of street animals.
Concerts are organized for them: charity concerts are usually organised in spring and summer. Music groups and singers participate in shows for free to help stray animals. The spectators will pay their entry fee with croquettes, pâté, or money which will be donated to the associations. An entertaining solution to facilitate donations!
Ladies and gentleman, participate in charity for stray animals: It is not uncommon to see transparent containers in the shopping centers which are used to collect food for street animals: kibble, mainly pâté. It is usually distributed by volunteers to street animals. It is also not uncommon to see that hundreds of associations, civil animal protection groups, cultural events, kerms, online donations to save our friends in the streets. Schools also participate, asking for the artistic contribution of the children; parents donate to an animal charity associations. Individuals who spend their time, their personal money to feed the animals, distribute food every day at the same time are common in Istanbul, it is popular to help stray animals.
The goodwill of the Turks towards street animals: the vast majority of people are very respectful of the animals, they are considered sacred creatures. Namely, it can be very controversial if someone dares to hurt an animal in the presence of other citizens. It’s an unimaginable in fact: you can frequently see a huge dog in front of a public transport turnstile, people would step over him without disturbing. A cat on a restaurant seat will never be bothered. Restaurant owners put plates at the end table, which says: what you do not eat will be given to the cat. The rest of the meals will be redistributed to street animals. The rare cases of mistreatment are done on the sly, with cowardice alone in his corner, on video to create the buzz.
What Turkish law provides for the protection of animals:
if a person who is mistreating an animal is caught he is sentenced to 1 year in prison…
The intelligence of stray animals in Turkey: It is common to see a dog crossing at pedestrian crossings with humans, it is also not uncommon to see a dog taking the ferry from European side to Asia, or even cats who come to wait at the exit of the restaurants or fish shops… Many scenes like these are the daily life of the Istanbulites which makes them really happy!
The animals need our care but but be CAREFUL, an animal, remains unpredictable, a street animal remains an animal that needs freedom, to be able to go where it wants, to do what it wants. They have the right to sleep peacefully without anyone surprising them and stressing them out, which could make them aggressive.
Street animals need our care but caution is required, not every animal is friendly, so the insistence is a possible danger.Beware of children who could unknowingly hurt the animal, pull the ears, the tail, kick… parents must remain vigilant and transmit gentleness and kindness from the young age. The Turkish Ministry of Interior Affairs has mobilized its local officials in all provinces to feed the animals in the streets, in a period of total containment in the cities during this difficult period of Coronavirus (Covid 19) in Turkey.
The Turkish Ministry of Internal Affairs has approached officials from 81 provinces, districts and local directorates to take the necessary measures to help the animals living on the streets and not to abandon them without water and food and to also sterilize places where they live. According to the Turkish Ministry of Internal Affairs, the coronavirus has not had a negative impact on people only, but also on street animals, who find it difficult to find food in the streets abandoned by citizens.
But it was not only the Turkish government that mobilized to help street animals in Istanbul, but also several charity organizations were organized to help them.