Melez Dog Rescue / In Safe Hands is a foundation in Turkey that is involved in rescuing and rehoming street dogs. This foundation is led by Lisanne. She brands her story below.
I am Lisanne. I live in Aydin, Turkey where I have been running a shelter for street dogs since 2018. In this time we have already rescued & rehomed more than 200! We rescue dogs that were born on the street, dumped on the street by their owners or that ended up in municipal shelters. These dogs are safely housed in our shelter until they are ready to travel, and then they are put up for adoption in the Netherlands, among other places!
It started as an empty field for 20 dogs, and has now grown into a large shelter with more than 60 dogs. Our dogs have been rehomed in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, England, Switzerland, Finland and Canada!
I work in the shelter every day, there is a lot of work to do. The cages are changed every day and the dogs are given fresh food and water. The sick and injured dogs are treated and dogs are taken to the vet. Of course there is also a lot of cuddling with the dogs! We observe all dogs all day long for a good character description so that we try to find the perfect match. Our goal is to give all dogs a very warm and safe home where they get the life that every animal deserves.
Taking care of the dogs, making vet appointments and preparing travel documents takes a lot of time. I am at the shelter all day 7 days a week. In summer it is very hot (around 40 degrees every day), in winter it can be down to -4 degrees. We do everything we can to give the dogs the most comfortable life possible before they can travel and in the meantime we feel sad because there are still so many dogs on the streets who have to try to survive on their own.
Turkey is estimated to have more than 10 million street animals. Street dogs are a controversial issue in Turkey. In the more developed parts of the country, people do care about animals and place bowls of water and food on the street for the street animals. But most people in Turkey would never consider bringing a dog into their home. Many people see street dogs as dirty and dangerous. Dogs are chased away, stones are thrown at them, sometimes they are also poisoned. There are increasing calls for all dogs to be taken off the streets and placed in municipal shelters. Municipal shelters are terrible, dangerous places for dogs.
The dogs are put together in large groups and no action is taken if fighting occurs. The shelters are never cleaned properly, so there are all kinds of viruses going around all the time. We estimate that 90% of young dogs that go to a municipal shelter in Turkey do not come out alive.
A great motivation for us to continue fighting for all these sweet dogs.
Would you also like to contribute?
We are looking for host families. A family where a dog is temporarily, lovingly cared for. Where people who want to adopt a dog can meet the dog to see if there is a good match.
The dogs in Turkey are in great need
- travel crates
- leashes/harnesses/long lines
- cushions/baskets
- good, sturdy toys
- tick tweezers
- food, sweets, chewing sticks
To ask? Do you want more information? Check our socials at send an email to [email protected]
Our social media is:
https://www.instagram.com/in.safe.hands.nl/
https://www.facebook.com/InSafeHandsNL