I’ve changed the topic of my article twice this week. Not that I’ve eliminated the others, but I’ll most definitely write about those articles one day. However, there’s a matter of priorities here. We lost my mother’s dog yesterday (Saturday night). In this article, I’ll write about this loving dog, our Carino, the joy he brought to our home, and the importance of giving all animals the life they deserve.
I remember the first time I felt a love for animals. We had a dog named Charlie while living in Bebek. My father found him on the street, brought him to our house, and he grew up with us. He was a true mix of breeds. He didn’t resemble any other breed; you couldn’t even tell what kind of mix he was. I remember his light (almost blonde) red and black fur, his rather large figure, his large head for his body, and his honey-colored eyes. I always sensed he looked at us with kindness. If he was angry with someone, you could tell from those honey-colored eyes.
Charlie was a very smart dog and quite flirtatious to boot. He would stay on the dam above the garden. He would somehow manage to jump over that dam, get out (none of us could figure out how he did it), and visit his girlfriend in Bebek (we followed him once, so we know).
Every time we would go out for a walk in Bebek, he would greet us on the beach and accompany us back home. He would growl at anyone he didn’t like and attack anyone he deemed truly dangerous. He once barely saved a construction worker from my father, Charlie, in a side street leading back to our house. As you know, dogs have strong instincts; they wouldn’t do this growling and attacking thing to just anyone.
We sadly lost our free-spirited Charlie after he was hit by a car while wandering the streets of Bebek. I was personally devastated. I think he could have lived another three or four years, but he left us too soon.
Last night, my mother’s dog (I say this because he lived with my mother, and I considered him my own dog. He was essentially our family dog) passed away. So, instead of writing about Carino and his love of animals, which I had planned to write under two different headings this week, I decided to write about him.
The Differences Carino Made
Carino made a tremendous contribution to our family, especially my mother. I remember him coming to my mother’s house as a puppy. He was a magnificent animal. His pure white fur, pointed ears, and dark eyes captivated us all. From a young age, he showed everyone that he was a loving dog. He was very friendly. Interestingly, before Carino, my mother was shy around animals, often even afraid. For example, we’d go to a restaurant, and a stray cat or dog would approach our table, and she’d get nervous. If the animal tried to get too close, it would clearly show its fear, and we’d try to calm it down. Of course, none of us know what happened in the past.
My sister, Nazlı, brought Carino home. So, technically, he was Nazlı’s dog. However, when Nazlı moved to the US and lived there for years (she still does), Carino became my mother’s dog. She brought the dog without even asking my mother. You can imagine my mother’s predicament. She was both wary of this adorable little, white-furred animal and, because of his meticulousness, was trying to figure out how to clean the house, warning her that it would completely disrupt the household. I remember her telling Nazlı, “Since you brought him home, you’ll take care of him.”
She named Carino ‘Nazlı.’ ‘Carino’ means cute, sweet, or sweet in Italian. Because I speak Spanish, I thought the name had been misplaced, because the Spanish word for ‘Carino’ is ‘Cariño.’ The hat over the letter ‘n’ is a combination of the letters ‘ny.’ So, in Turkish, it’s pronounced ‘Karinyo.’ Then, when I learned it was Italian, I didn’t say anything. Carino was a truly sweet and adorable dog, just like his name.
My Mother’s Miraculous Change
As the days and weeks passed, miracles happened. A bond began to form between my mother and Carino. It was such a bond that the anxiety, even the fear, was replaced by an incredible love and affection. My mother began to care for Carino herself. As the weeks went by, we even witnessed my mother hugging and loving Carino.
I couldn’t believe my eyes. My mother personally took over Carino’s care, even his cleaning, and began to care for him like a child. In fact, this love only grew stronger in the following months, and my mother began to transform into a fanatical animal lover. My mother, who was shy even with a small cat, hugged a large dog she found on the street and started feeding it, saying, “What a shame for them.” The transformation over those few months was incredible. This was what made me happiest.
A sweet love story
My relationship with Carino was special. When he saw me, he’d get ecstatic and start cheering in all sorts of ways. He even peed uncontrollably when I first petted him as a child. His vet said, “That’s why he gets so excited, it’ll stop when he grows up.” Carino never lost that excitement. It might seem a little strange, but until he passed away, he peed his pants whenever I touched his head. Before I came home, I’d tell my mother, “I’m coming, get the newspapers ready.” I’d pet him on the newspapers when I first entered the house so the entrance wouldn’t be clogged. Later, when I’d go into the living room and settle into the couch, he’d first sniff me (probably trying to figure out where I was coming from), then crawl between my legs and practically tell me, “Love me.” I can’t even begin to describe the sounds he made when he was so pleased. Even when I was feeling down, this exchange of affection would dispel my anxiety and lift my spirits. Despite being my mother’s dog, I think the reason he cheered me the most was probably because I was the opposite sex. And of course, I was reciprocating the love he showed me, and the animal was overjoyed.
For the last few months, Carino hadn’t been feeling well. He was being well cared for. However, if I had to be self-critical, I’d say he was being given too much food. You know, it’s a classic pet thing. While you’re eating at the table, they’ll come to the table, give you pitiful looks, and make various noises, even touching you with their paws, demanding food. However, for animals to receive proper nutrition, you shouldn’t give them extra food from the table; this can harm their health in the long run. So, you need to be very prudent and avoid overfeeding, or at least not overdo it. However, my mother, with her tender heart, couldn’t stand Carino’s demands, and by constantly feeding him, he was making him fat. Both the vet and we warned her about this repeatedly. My mother would always say, “Okay, okay, I’ll be careful from now on,” but a few weeks later, she couldn’t stand it anymore and kept overfeeding him. That’s why Carino was overweight. And the days of illness…
Carino’s last few months were painful. Unfortunately, tumors were detected in his liver and kidney. The vets said his days were numbered. I was saying, “Do whatever you can to keep him alive longer.” The vets also had this observation: Large dogs, like German Shepherds, live for 9-10 years. Small dogs live even longer, with an average lifespan of 15-16 years. Carino was a medium-sized dog and was 13 years old. So, according to the vets, his time had come. In fact, people like Carino are lucky compared to stray dogs. Did you know that the average lifespan of stray animals, one of the major problems in our country, is three years? This is shameful.
Last Sunday, I visited Carino at the animal hospital in Ataşehir. They opened his cage, and he was lying in a pool of IV fluids. He looked at me from below with his eyes. He didn’t recognize me. I took off the mask and said, “Carino.” The animal has a certain presence; you’d think he’d never been sick. His leg was bandaged, he’d received IV fluids, and he had a tumor in his internal organs. He didn’t even bother to ask me, he jumped up and stuck his head out. I can’t tell you how the “whoop whoop” noises he made when I petted his head and how tears welled up in his eyes.
Then we took him outside for a bit to get some air, but he immediately found our car. He was hitting the car with his paws, wanting to go home. The veterinarians said, “Let him stay here for a few more days; he’ll recover a little more,” so we left him there.
A few days later, my driver, Mr. Münir, picked him up and brought him to my mother. Carino loved Mr. Münir because he had done so much for him, and he would always cheer him on.
My mother only lasted one day. Carino, who we used to see so active, couldn’t get up; he was even shaking. My mother called me on Wednesday, 15 July, deeply saddened. “Son, something’s happening to Carino. I think we’re losing him. Can you come quickly?” she said. Münir Bey and I immediately went to my mother’s. I went into the house. She was lying on the floor of my mother’s room. As soon as she saw me, she stood up and came right over to me. The dog had instantly regained consciousness. Here’s the video of that moment:
Then we took Carino to the animal hospital. On the way, he showed no signs of illness, let alone a dying animal. He put his paws on my legs, held his head high, leaned against me, looked around, and petted me. When I looked into his eyes, I knew Carino was aware of the situation. He was practically enjoying his final moments. I could feel it. I recorded those moments. Here’s Carino enjoying the Bosphorus:
In the video of us crossing the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, it’s not at all obvious that our dog, who was experiencing this joy for the last time, was battling a terminal illness. He was enjoying the moment with me, with his incredible energy. He was a wonderful dog in that sense.
Then we arrived at the animal hospital. I also recorded the moment we arrived. Here’s the video of that moment:
And we handed Carino over to the veterinarians who greeted us at the door. As the elevator door closed, Carino, who was in the veterinarian’s arms, made one last nod, signaling his desire to come over. He gave me one last look, and that was our last meeting. I was having a hard time holding myself together. I was hoping that with good care, his life would be extended as long as possible.
The time has come; we lost our Carino last night. My condolences to all of us.
The most sincere love
Have you ever looked into the eyes of an animal that looks at you with great love? It’s an incredible feeling. No matter how angry, sad, or any other negative emotion you may be in, those eyes create an energy exchange that transforms your entire mood into a positive one. You feel that love in the sincerest way.
Animal love is the purest, most refined, and most sincere form of love; it’s unconditional. And love is the cure for everything. So, are you ready to be worthy of the animal love that gives so much meaning to our lives?
I am ready. I will do what is necessary to provide animals in our country with the life they deserve and to spread animal love to a wider audience.
I will share the details with you soon. I have the structure I envision, and I am also identifying animal lovers and animal NGOs who will work with great passion towards this cause. I’ll be pressing the button once I’ve resolved the fundraising issue. I have a plan for that, too. See you in the future…
Tag: health
