Protest Against Animal Cruelty in Istanbul

I am writing tonight to let you all know about a protest against animal cruelty that's taking place in Istanbul tomorrow. If you will be in Istanbul on Sunday, January 23, might you consider joining the 2000 or so people who have pledged to protest against the Istanbul Municipality's barbaric treatment of the street dogs in their care?

The march will start at 11am on Sunday at Gezı Parkı in Taksım and will proceed to Galatasaray. There are a variety of animals rights groups in Istanbul who have banded together to organize the protest and they have a Facebook event page where you can sign up and get more info.

I won't get into the specifics of the details here, but you can also see some videos shot at the Hasdal Shelter in Istanbul of the horrid conditions these dogs lived and died in. (Many of these pictures and videos are graphic; please don't click if you have small children around and be sure to turn the sound off on your computer.) This is the first time that I have actually seen videos of what happens inside these so-called "shelters", though we all know that reports of the municipality poisoning dogs and abandoning them in the forests to starve are absolutely true.

Unfortunately, I cannot attend this protest as I am in Izmir this weekend, but if any of my readers are willing to go, I'd be more than happy to publish your account of the day with photos here on Turkish Muse.

I know that the topic of animal cruelty is an uncomfortable topic for many of us, and it is hard for me to think or write or read about without feeling my throat tighten and tears fill my eyes. But the only way we can change the situation here is to first inform ourselves of the atrocities taking place -- no matter how difficult they may be for us to face -- and then get on our feet and do something about it.

If you can't attend the protest tomorrow, consider signing an online petiton at Change.org(which will be sent to the mayor of Istanbul and the lead vet at Hasdal Shelter), hanging up posters around town which you can find here, or at the very least, reading the blog of Let's Adopt, which would keep you informed on what's going on in Turkey regarding animal rights. 

I hope the protest is successful -- and by that I mean that I hope our actions can lead to a better life for all of the street animals who live in Turkey.

Comments

[Maureen]

Hi Barbara,

I was wondering if you'd mind if I linked your post to my blog? I would love to be able to be there tomorrow and spread this by word of mouth as much as possible before the event.

[Account Deleted]

harika

[larry]

Barbara, I was deeply saddened by this news. I have not been in Istanbul for nearly a year now, but during my aborted stay, the street dogs were my best companions always in a way, both around the Koc campus, where some were allowed to stray (my special Julie!). And on so many solitary forays to Taksim, and at night, receiving kind and KNOWING looks from the street dogs. I felt they were so serene. I wrote poetry about them, FOR them! Sibel and I share a dog, Ria, a Brittany spaniel, getting aged. Had things worked Ria would be living in Istanbul now (well, me too!). And I wonder. Now Ria and I are looking at Prague, a city that loves its dogs... :( I really came to love those dogs of Istanbul :(

[Barbara J. Isenberg]

Sorry for the late response Maureen but absolutely! Go right ahead!

[Barbara J. Isenberg]

Hi Larry, I too love the street dogs of Istanbul (and Izmir too!) Many of them are very wise creatures and so gentle. (Some, of course, are not.) I hope you and your family do well in Prague!

[va]

thanks for this article i shared it on my fb page to let others know .

[Barbara J. Isenberg]

Thank you for doing that!

[erika]

Barbara, this makes me so sad. I would have had no idea this was the case. I thought during my last trip to Istanbul that dogs and cats (especially cats) seem to have such a nice existence there. I had made the comment that if I believed in reincarnation, I'd come back as a dog or cat in Turkey because their treatment seemed humane.

[Barbara J. Isenberg]

Sadly, Erika, there is a lot of animal cruelty in Turkey, both at the government level and among people (mostly among poorer, uneducated people). While many Turks do have pets, many of them are obtained as status symbols and not as pets in their own right. (This is also why so many people here get dogs and cats, only to dump them on the street 3 months later when the animal gets too big or they realize how much work it is.) That's why you see so many people with pure-bred golden retrievers and huskies but very, very few adopted street dogs. The hatred among people here of dogs stems mostly from ignorance and fear, which can be quite a deadly combination. That said, many street cats and dogs do okay here, and there are people who feed them and take care of them. Unfortunately, being an animal on the street means you are at the mercy of people with both good and bad intentions.

 

[Kate]

Dear Barbara
Thank you for telling us about this - I am one of those people who finds it hard to look at the pictures and videos but you are right that we must face what is happening so we can do something about it.
I have signed the petition and send all my best wishes to the people who are trying to help the dogs and cats of Istambul
It is many years since I was in Turkey but it is a country that I loved very much - I am sure that many people who have lived and holidayed there would want to support this campaign. Unfortunately all countries have animals living in terrible conditions and being treated cruelly but it is so much worse when it is condoned officially.
love Kate

[Alev]

I like what you said about Turks owning pets as a status symbol! It is so true, and that's why I dont necessarily think animal rights will likely to catch on in Turkey soon despite all the efforts. But kudos to you guys for trying!

[Rebecca]

Thanks for publicising this. I was also unable to attend the protest as I was outside the country last weekend. Like most animal lovers I am totally disgusted by this shelter and others like them. I have a dog that was found on the street and she is the best thing in my life (apart from my cats who occupy the same place in my heart) and I wish all dogs could have a happy safe life.
There are some really kind people here in my part of Istanbul (the Asian shore) who feed the animals daily rain or shine. It is not all Turks who are indifferent or cruel. I have visited the shelter in Tuzla and the lady who looks after the dogs is lovely and caring. It is not perfect of course, but so much better than Hasdal.
The children's homes are also terrible here, a British team did an undercover documentary and the cameraman had nightmares. The current government does a good job of making cosmetic improvements and shutting all the misery away and ignoring it:(