In This Storm Hit City, Malls are Letting in Stray Dogs
The life of stray animals is pretty difficult on the streets at all times. And even more so when the cold of winter sets in. Especially in Turkey and Greece, now suffering exceptionally cold weather, down to -15 Celsius(!)
A severe snowstorm has forced the closure of key shipping straits and wide spread flight cancellations last week, while hazardous roads left many cars stranded overnight in Istanbul.
Heavy snowfall and plunging temperatures have unleashed havoc there in recent days. Now, stories are emerging about ordinary folks going above and beyond to help keep homeless pets cozy and safe.
After the snow storm hit Turkey, the Atrium Mall, located in Istanbul, opened their doors to homeless dogs. So that they wouldn’t have to spend the night in freezing temperatures.
Dogs may freeze to death if they find no food for over 17 hours. The municipal veterinary team was distributing food to street animals in small shelters, and suffering dogs and cats were taken to government shelters for treatment and care.
Locals too have rolled up their sleeves to prepare shelters made out of cardboard boxes, bags and other similar stuff. Some are providing blankets from home to help protect the animals suffering from the freezing cold, even as others put pieces of bread on trees for the birds. And from the looks on these poor creatures’ faces, they sure do welcome all the help.
Turkey has long had a huge problem with free-roaming dogs and cats. The country is struggling with ways to manage the problem of an estimated 150,000 stray dogs(!) in Istanbul alone - a city of 11.3 million people.
Such dogs have been documented in Istanbul for several hundred years at least, perhaps longer. Many Turks are quite comfortable with, and even enjoy, having the free-roaming dogs around.
Such dogs have been documented in Istanbul for several hundred years at least, perhaps longer. Many Turks are quite comfortable with, and even enjoy, having the free-roaming dogs around.
Culturally, Turks are very much against euthanasia of dogs and cats for “population control”. Now free-roaming dogs are picked up off the streets and taken to local shelters where they are spayed or neutered, treated for minor illnesses, vaccinated for rabies and other diseases and after being ear-tagged for identification, released back to the neighborhood where they were taken from.
Hundreds of Golden retrievers that have fallen on hard times in Turkey have even made their way to far away Ontario thanks to the efforts of rescue organisations.
