I’ve written many times in the past about the serious problem of stray animals in Turkey and what needs to be done about it. In this article, I’ll also address the issues surrounding adopted animals. First, let’s recall the articles I’ve written on this topic:
Loving animals and all living things (11 October 2018)
https://www.serhansuzer.com/tr/hayvanlari-ve-tum-canlilari-sevmek
Being worthy of animal love (19 July 2020)
https://www.serhansuzer.com/tr/hayvan-sevgisine-layik-olabilirsiniz
Goodbye Betsy, welcome Sunny (17 April 2021)
https://www.serhansuzer.com/tr/elveda-betsy-hos-geldin-sunny
Living Sunny and learning from Sunny (17 June 2021)
https://www.serhansuzer.com/tr/sunnyi-yasamak-ve-sunnyden-ogrenmek
Will we be able to do justice to animal rights in our country? (24.07.2021)
https://www.serhansuzer.com/tr/ulkemizde-hayvan-haklarinin-hakkini-verabilirsiniz-miyiz
Animal rights are universal (29.01.2023)
https://www.serhansuzer.com/tr/hayvan-haklari-evrenseldir
Poop Collection and Environmental Factors
For the past year, I’ve observed a significant increase in animal poop in the grassy area where I take my dogs out. Of course, there’s stray animal poop here, but I’d say the real problem lies with those who don’t take their dogs out and bag them up, seal them, and throw them in the trash. I observe this from afar when I go outside. I warn you that I can: If you take your dog outside, you must pick up and dispose of their poop.
The outdoors isn’t great for animals anyway. People who hate cats and dogs, stray animal problems, public officials who don’t tolerate animals, people who torture animals, etc. On top of all this, it doesn’t work when people who adopt animals don’t care for these creatures and their environment.
On the other hand, we think of people who are afraid of dogs, the occasional gathering of dogs in groups on the streets or individual attacks on other animals or people, and the torture and killing of dogs in shelters. In other words, we’re failing in every aspect of animal rights and relationships with them. Before even addressing the issue of pet care, we encounter dozens of animal-related problems.
The situation regarding cats and dogs in Turkey can be summarized in a single phrase: They told a camel, “Your neck is crooked,” and he said, “Where is my right?”
Nevertheless, in this article, I will address pet care and issues to be aware of.
Pet care and 10 things to be aware of
This topic deserves detailed consideration. I recently came across a good article about pet care and the 10 things to be aware of. I’m listing the 10 points to consider in this article here:
- Regular veterinary checkups
- Regular vaccination follow-up
- Neutering
- Weight problems
- Never forget that they are not humans
- Oral care
- Parasite control
- Education
- Appropriate environment
- Microchip application
I recommend reading the details of these 10 points to consider regarding animal care: https://blog.petibom.com/evcil-hayvan-bakimi-ve-dikkat-edilmesi-gereken-10-konu/ .
Of course, there are many excellent resources written by experts on this subject. If you are a pet owner or are considering adopting a pet, it’s important to utilize these resources to expand your knowledge.
Methods and conditions for adoption
Despite all the problems, we can say that every aspect of the overall system is flawed, except for the people who care for animals as they deserve and the lives they give. Since I’ve written about animal rights before, this time I’ll discuss how to adopt animals:
1) Animal owners need to be granted special rights and support. Tax incentives, free food supplies from municipalities or other public institutions, and other practical support would be beneficial.
2) People who want to adopt a pet must undergo a psychological test, akin to the driver’s license procedure (it’s necessary to prohibit pet ownership for people with psychological distress and a tendency towards violence) and receive training in animal welfare. This means they can complete a special course and, with a certificate, become eligible to own a pet.
3) After adopting a pet, they must attend training sessions with the animal for a certain period, especially for dogs.
4) Dog owners should be fined for not picking up their dogs’ feces. These fines should be detected by cameras (using facial recognition technology), just like traffic tickets, and sent to homes or digital addresses (email or mobile phone) of those polluting the environment in this way.
Producing Fertilizer Through Composting
5) Animal waste needs to be transformed into economic value. It’s possible to plan for the bags we collect from cat or dog waste to be organic, and for these to be placed in recycling facilities that can be placed throughout the country and converted into fertilizer through composting. This can then be financially recycled to support the animals. The municipality, or a social initiative, or platform could organize this.
6) Stray animals need to be neutered and placed in animal adoption centers. This could be a facility like a farmhouse for dogs, or a house with a garden designed specifically for cats. All cats and dogs in these facilities can then be adopted digitally. Of course, the owners of these businesses will see this as a business opportunity. To keep the facility running, they need to charge either the adopter or the government for each cat or dog they adopt.
That’s all I can think of right now. Of course, this list could be extended, and many different actions could be taken to create a livable world for animals. The important thing is to develop a sustainable model. Let’s not forget that this world is not just for humans, but for all living things.
Tag: education
