Wild At Life Project

From Lost to Loved: Rescuing the Strays in Türkiye

Unwanted dogs and cats

Activity status: Ongoing

Area of Activity: Turkey

Tagged: cats # dogs # rescue # stray

Türkiye is known for its beautiful dogs and cats cohabiting with the people for centuries. Unfortunately today, the strays of Türkiye cannot keep up with the country’s disproportionate and hasty urban development, turning them to unwanted or abandoned animals.

Wild at Life e.V. is continuously pursuing rescue operations for the strays in Türkiye, aiming to save dogs and cats from the busy capital city as well as rural and forsaken areas of the overpopulated country.

Our routine is, in order of preference, as follows:

Feeding them daily
Caring for the injured ones and supply of prostheses
Spay and neuter
Re-homing of the young ones
Re-homing of the handicaps
Re-homing of the grownups
Temporary house fostering
Relocating them to pet hostels
Relocating them into veterinary custody
Relocating them into safer zones (parks, gardens, private shelters)
Rehoming overseas

We established this plan by taking into account time and cost efficiency. For instance, although rehoming them overseas is the preferred option, the costs and time are way above the predictions. Aside from the cost, another problem is the assistance from permanent field officers. Considering the country’s worsening economic crisis, volunteering jobs are not always an option. Moreover, the crime rate is noticeably increasing in suburban areas, which affects strays in terms of physical injury, rheumatism, slaughtering, sadistic acts, amputation, rape, kidnaps and dog fights.

Wild at Life e.V. is proud to state that our male and female field officers are bold, loyal, well-trained, and apt to fight back in case of emergency.

Pictures of the strays we have saved and re-homed, before and after:

Before we are able to put these strays up for adoption,

we need to rescue and nurse them back to health. With that, comes with expenses. Your support is essential for us to continue.

Thank you for giving love to these beautiful strays!

Update: August 29, 2024

Saving Strays in Tunisia and Türkiye

This year, we focused on helping stray animals in Tunisia and Türkiye.

In Tunisia, we ran a five-day feeding program and worked with locals to set up ongoing feeding and water stations.

In Türkiye, we are facing a crisis due to a proposed law that threatens millions of strays with mass killing. We joined a peaceful demonstration to oppose this law and urge the government to adopt humane solutions like spaying, neutering, and vaccinations.

📍Türkiye

In Türkiye, there is a huge crisis with stray animals due to an upcoming law that could strip millions of stray animals of their right to exist. A proposed legal amendment to allow the collection and killing of stray animals is awaiting approval in the parliamentary commission. If passed, animals will be exterminated on the streets, and there is not enough shelter or treatment for these dogs.

We urge the government to withdraw this proposal and work towards ethically controlling the stray population through spaying, neutering, and vaccinations. No one should have the right to kill animals for their own benefits and desires. We need to remain humane.

To raise our voices, we joined a peaceful demonstration under heavy rain in Frankfurt, asking the parliament for kindness. We strongly plead: please do not pass the law, 85% of the population are against, that will lead to the killing of 4 million strays!

We believe every animal deserves to live with care and respect. The crisis in Türkiye, shows the urgent need for humane solutions. We ask the government and people everywhere to join us in opposing this law and supporting kinder alternatives. By focusing on spaying, neutering, and vaccination programs, we can manage the stray population in a humane way.

To support these efforts, we have also started a fundraiser. The money raised will help provide food and medical care for stray animals. Together, we can make a difference and create a world where kindness wins. Let’s stay human and make sure no animal has to suffer needlessly.

📍Tunisia

We also decided to help stray animals in Tunisia, after working in Morocco last year. Over five days, we fed many stray animals and made sure they got the food they needed. We also talked to local people to find good places to leave food and water for the animals, so they can have access to these resources even after we leave.

We donated a lot of food that will be given to the animals over the next few weeks. Local volunteers will help distribute this food. We will keep checking in to see how the animals are doing and provide more help if needed.

Update: April 7, 2024

Urgent Call for Help: Shelter Devastated by Landslide, Stray Animals in Crisis

One of our animal shelters got hit by a landslide! We’re dealing with a terrible natural disaster right now.

Because of climate change, there’s been more rain in the area where we work. This shelter, one of five we have in Turkey, is home to lots of dogs. It’s our biggest shelter and it’s in a cold place. We also run our Give a Stray a Coat program there.

In recent years, the snow in the mountains has been melting fast because of big changes in temperature. Our shelter is in a spot where people often dump animals, so we started looking after it over ten years ago. We’d just fixed up the beds and roof for the summer when disaster struck.

A few days ago, there was a landslide. The snow melted quickly, bringing down huge rocks. Sadly, one of these rocks hit our shelter and trapped the dogs inside. Our food got ruined, and the road to the shelter is blocked. We’re really upset about what’s happened and are working around the clock to rescue the remaining animals.

The area is a disaster zone. Every shelter, room, and roof is gone. Not a single food box remains. We have lost everything. But we cannot turn back and leave now. We must continue, stronger than ever, to make the place better than before. The rainy season is making the situation even worse. With the shelter destroyed and a rock sitting on top of it, the dogs are now in the open.

We need your immediate help to continue rescuing these helpless souls. We urgently need to clean the area and start from where we left off. We are devastated.

Will you step in? You can contribute at by clicking on the following link: HELP 🚨 Natural Disaster has hit our Stray Shelter ‼️ by Wild at Life e.V. (petfundr.com)

Update: March 17, 2024

Stray Coat Program in Türkiye

In the streets of Turkey, stray dogs face tough challenges every day. They don’t have homes, so they have to find food and stay warm on their own. We are here to help. We give these dogs coats to keep them warm in the cold weather. When they’re sick or hurt, we take them to the doctor for medical care. And we make sure they have plenty of food to eat. Our goal is to make life a little better for these dogs who are often forgotten. We want to show them kindness and help them stay healthy and happy, even without a home.

The Issue of Stray Dogs in Türkiye

In Türkiye the issue of stray animals, particularly dogs, creates huge challenges, and there are several reasons why the problem persists and keeps getting worse.

One major reason is abandonment. When owners can no longer care for their pets or find them inconvenient, they choose to abandon them, leaving these animals to fend for themselves on the streets.

Also insufficient animal welfare laws and their enforcement have hindered efforts to address the issue effectively. Türkiye has struggled with enforcing laws related to animal welfare, making it challenging to tackle the root causes pf the problem.

In addition Türkiye has faced difficulties in implementing effective spaying and neutering programs for stray animals. Without these interventions, the stray population continues to grow unchecked.

Distributing Coats

We provide coats to stray dogs in Turkey as a vital measure to protect them from the harsh realities of winter. In this region, temperatures can plummet, posing serious threats to the health and safety of these vulnerable animals. By outfitting them with coats, we offer essential insulation against the biting cold, shielding them from the elements and preventing the onset of hypothermia. These coats also serve as a barrier against wetness, ensuring the dogs stay dry and reducing the risk of discomfort and skin issues caused by damp fur.

Moreover, beyond the physical benefits, the provision of coats contributes to the overall well-being of these dogs. When they are warm and comfortable, their stress levels decrease, and they can remain more active and resilient. This boost in their mental and physical health is crucial for their survival on the streets.

Every coat we give makes a dog very happy.

Our Spaying and Neutering Efforts

We work diligently to spay and neuter stray dogs in Turkey as part of our ongoing efforts to manage their population and improve their welfare. Spaying involves surgically removing the ovaries and uterus of female dogs, while neutering involves removing the testicles of male dogs. This helps control the reproduction of stray dogs, preventing the birth of unwanted puppies and reducing the strain on resources for their care.

There are several reasons why spaying and neutering are crucial:

Population Control: Stray dog populations can grow rapidly if left unchecked, leading to overcrowding, competition for resources, and increased risks of disease transmission. Spaying and neutering help stabilize and reduce these populations, ensuring a healthier balance between dogs and their environment.

Health Benefits: Spaying and neutering can have significant health benefits for dogs. For females, it reduces the risk of uterine infections and certain types of cancers, while for males, it decreases the likelihood of testicular cancer and certain behavioral issues, such as aggression and roaming.

Preventing Unwanted Litters: By spaying and neutering stray dogs, we prevent the birth of unwanted litters that may end up on the streets, vulnerable to neglect, injury, or euthanasia. This helps break the cycle of overpopulation and reduces the burden on animal shelters and rescue organizations.

Overall, spaying and neutering are essential components of responsible pet ownership and effective stray animal management.

We go the extra mile in our mission to help stray dogs in Turkey by venturing into remote areas where few others tread. These are often places overlooked by mainstream services, where stray dogs struggle to survive without access to food, shelter, or medical care. By reaching these remote areas, we ensure that no dog is left behind, no matter how far they are from urban centers.

Our efforts not only improve their immediate well-being but also contribute to long-term solutions for managing stray populations. It’s our belief that every dog, no matter how remote their location, deserves a chance at a better life. Through our work in these areas, we strive to make that belief a reality.

Check out how happy and grateful they are when we arrive in this youtube video:

This project is carried out in the following activity areas

Animal Welfare & Rescue

Farm, stray, & laboratory animals rescue & welfare

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From Lost to Loved: Rescuing the Strays in Türkiye

Unwanted dogs and cats

Our routine is, in order of preference, as follows:

Before we are able to put these strays up for adoption,

Saving Strays in Tunisia and Türkiye

📍Türkiye

📍Tunisia

Urgent Call for Help: Shelter Devastated by Landslide, Stray Animals in Crisis

Stray Coat Program in Türkiye

The Issue of Stray Dogs in Türkiye

Distributing Coats

Our Spaying and Neutering Efforts

Farm, stray, & laboratory animals rescue & welfare

Spread the news!

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