As quoted from Charlie Chaplin; “He who feeds a hungry animal feeds his own soul”. Feeding a hungry animal, giving a helping hand to a stray dog means, in a sense, opening the doors of perception which may lead you a different world. Take a look at ‘the charity guide for helpless animals’ if you are interested in cracking that door open.
There are 29 animal care services operating in Istanbul located in Avcılar, Bahçelievler, Bağcılar, Bakırköy, Bayrampaşa, Beşiktaş, Beylikdüzü, Beyoğlu, Büyükçekmece, Esenler, Esenler-Yakuplu, Gaziosmanpaşa, Güngören, Hasdal, SHKD Kemerburgaz, Küçükçekmece, Mimar Sinan, Sarıyer, Silivri, Şişli, Yedikule, Zeytinburnu, Büyükada, Beykoz, Kadıköy, Şile, Tuzla, Ümraniye ve Üsküdar
Some of them render service as shelters and some of them operate as rehabilitation centers. If you hit the ground running, you can easily make contact with one of them to enroll in as a volunteer.
1. Be a foster carer
If you are allergic or can’t provide the necessary conditions to pet an animal but still eager to be friends with one of them. There is an option for you! You can be a foster carer on condition that you donate a bag of dries dog food. Two birds with one stone! Even if you don’t have the chance to feed an animal at your house you will satisfy your feelings by reaching out for one of which is really in need. Besides, old, diseased and disabled animals who don’t have chance to be adopted will be granted care and love. In time, if you build up a fiduciary relationship with the shelter, you may be allowed to take your foster dog to home for a while or take him a walk for some time.
2. Help for adoption
Maybe you can’t adopt but you are active in social media, a little help would be appreciated if you may post the photos of cats or dogs waiting for an adoption in shelters. Or you may repost the adoption announcement of shelters. There are lots of animals waiting for a helping hand.
3. Donate
Lots of stray dogs are dependent on donations to survive. Although the municipalities support the shelters, the system works as a voluntary basis.
The number of animals given away is so high that the charities themselves can’t be sufficient. Any help would be appreciated very much, so if you may allocate even a little amount of money, don’t hesitate to support them. If you decide to donate, you have to be careful about where or what to donate. You can easily reach the shelters’ account. They are reliable. Apart from that you may encounter social media accounts trying to support animals. You have to double-check them. It is the easiest way for crooks to exploit animal love. In that case, you can donate dried animal food instead of money. If you want to support medical cares of an animal, you can reach out the vet and check if it’s true.
4. Help them on streets
If you come across with a dog, cat or bird appear to be ill, observe them for a while. They may be exhausted of hunger or thirst. You can find a bag of one-meal food in almost every supermarket to feed them. You may either stash them away in your trunk or in your handbag to help a hungry animal whenever you see them.
5. Call 153
If you come across with a stray animal in need of care or wounded, you can call ALO 153, which is a tele-care service of Istanbul Metropolitan (IMM) Municipality. Officers in charge come and pick the animal requiring help and render medical services. Besides, if there are any animals requiring medical care such as vaccination, castration surgery in your neighborhood, you can ask for help from the IMM by calling ALO 153. The officers will offer the health service support to these animals and then bring them back to your neighborhood.
6. Take them to vet
You may encounter emergency situations any time. If possible, take the animal in need to the vet. Therefore, you may get the chance to follow up the animal’s situation closely. Don’t forget to tell the vet that the injured animal is a stray. As many vets make a discount of 50% for stray animals. Or they may offer easy terms of payment such as installment. Some of the medical treatments may cost high. In such cases, the solution may be the veterinary school clinics of Universities.
7. Buy a souvenir, cheer up both sides
There are lots of items for sale the incomes of which are donated for the good of animal shelters. For example, Yedikule Animal Shelter sells items such as pillow, t-shirt, wedding candy, agenda, mug, pencil, magnet, handbag, calendar, tableau. If you want to buy a gift for your friends or family members, this can be an option for cheering up both sides.
8. Give it, don’t bin it
You can hardly imagine from which items the shelters are deprived. Instead of donating dried animal foods or money, you can also give collars or kennels as a gift. If you have sheets, blankets, pillows, that you don’t use any more, you can give them away to the shelters on the condition that they are clean. These items can be used as beds for dogs. Instead of throwing away newspapers and magazines, you can also give them away to shelters. They can be used in kennels for multiple purposes there. Pots and pans out of use can be very useful in shelters as well.
9. Share your cleaning products
Consider your monthly expenses of cleaning products; bleaches, detergents, cleaning cloths, disinfecting wipes and so forth. You can take advantage of two-for-one deal campaigns so that you will contribute to the hygiene of shelters. You can keep one product for yourself and give away the other product to the shelters. You can also support shelter animals’ wellness by donating them antibiotics and vitamins.
10. Don’t waste food, share it
If you cannot do any of these, maybe you can leave a bowl for water and food for strays in front of your house or office. If you can’t afford dried foods, you can share food wastes instead of throwing them into the bin. However, some spicy and sugary foods may harm animal metabolism so consider this before you share.
SHELTERS AND REHABILITATION CENTERS IN ISTANBUL
Üsküdar Belediyesi Sokak Hayvanlarını Barındırma ve Rehabilitasyon Merkezi
Web Sitesi: www.uskudar.bel.tr
Adres: Hekimbaşı Mah. Hemka Sok. Asfalt döküm fabrikası alt yolu Hekimbaşı / Ümraniye
Tel: (0216) 630 22 34/ (549) 772 33 72
Ümraniye Belediyesi Rehabilitasyon Merkezi
Adres: Hekimbaşı Mah., Küçüksu Cad., Semerkant Sok., 34766 Ümraniye/İstanbul
Tel: (0216) 630 20 01
Tuzla Rehabilitasyon Merkezi
Adres: Katı Atık Merkezi yanı, Aydınlıkköy, Tuzla/İstanbul
Tel: (0216) 393 00 10
Şile Hayvan Barınağı
Adres: Şile Yolu Ağva Girişi 50mt, Şile/İstanbul
Tel: (0216) 711 22 74
Kadıköy Sokak Hayvanları Barınağı
Web Sitesi: www.kadikoyunkopekleri.org
Adres: Turgut Özal Bulvarı, TEM Otoyolu Sonu, Ataşehir, Kadıköy / İstanbul
Tel: (0216) 499 83 90
Beykoz Belediyesi Hayvan Barınağı
Adres: Mahmut Şevket Paşa Köyü yolu üzeri, 10 km, Beykoz
Tel: (0536) 443 7764
Adalar Belediyesi Büyükada Hayvan Barınağı
Web Sitesi: www.adalar.bel.tr
Adres: Atahırları Mevkii, Büyük Tur Yolu, Büyükada
Tel: (0216) 382 3 382
Zeytinburnu Rehabilitasyon Merkezi
Adres: Kazlıçeşme Mahallesi Seyitnizam Caddesi No:218 Zeytinburnu
Tel: 444 1984
Fatih Belediyesi Yedikule Hayvan Barınağı
Web Sitesi: www.fatihbelediyesiyedikulehayvanbarinagi.com
Adres: Sahil Yolu (Kennedy Cad.) Surdibi, Eski Havagazı Deposu
Tel: (0212) 633 58 57
Şişli Belediyesi Hayvan Kısırlaştırma ve Rehabilitasyon Merkezi
Web Sitesi: www.sisli.bel.tr
Adres: Darülaceze Caddesi No:70, Okmeydanı
Tel: (0212) 221 85 89
Silivri Belediyesi Hayvan Rehabilitasyon Merkezi
Adres: Yirikçayırı Mevkii, Silivri
Tel: (0212) 727 18 63
Sarıyer Belediyesi Kısırkaya Hayvan Barınağı
Adres: Kısırkaya Köyü Çıkışı, Sarıyer
Tel: (0212) 242 52 71
Mimar Sinan Belediyesi Hayvan Barınağı
Adres: Total Benzin İstasyonu Arkası, Mimar Sinan
Tel: (0212) 883 91 75
Küçükçekmece Hayvan Rehabilitasyon Merkezi
Web Sitesi: shrm.kucukcekmece.bel.tr
Adres: Sazlıdere baraj yolu üzeri, Kayabaşı Köyü, Küçükçekmece
Tel: (0212) 411 07 40
İstanbul SHKD Doğal Yaşam Alanı
Web Sitesi: www.shkd.org
Adres: E6 Kemerburgaz/Göktürk yolu üzeri, (Hasdal Rehabilitasyon Merkezi Yanı) Kemerburgaz
Tel: 0212 227 72 65
Hasdal Barınağı
Adres: E6 Kemerburgaz/Göktürk yolu üzeri, Kemerburgaz
Tel: (0212) 360 29 19
Güngören Belediyesi Hayvan Toplama ve Kısırlaştırma Derneği
Adres: Gençosman Mah, Güngören
Tel: (0212) 462 26 40
Gaziosmanpaşa Belediyesi Küçükköy Rehabilitasyon Merkezi
Adres: Karayolları Mah. 568. Sok. No.15 Gaziosmanpaşa (Küçükköy Endüstri Meslek Lisesi’nden 2 km. aşağıda)
Tel: (0212) 479 47 65
Esenyurt Belediyesi Yakuplu Rehabilitasyon Merkezi
Adres: Haramidere Carreffour Arkası, İstanbul Residence Yanı
Tel: (212) 886 63 10
Esenler Belediyesi Rehabilitasyon Merkezi
Adres: Çiftehavuzlar Mah. Sarıgöl Cad. No.12 Esenler
Tel: 0212 482 41 16
Büyükçekmece Sahipsiz Hayvanlar Bakım, Tedavi ve Rehabilitasyon Merkezi
Web Sitesi: www.bcekmece.bel.tr
Adres: Çakmaklı Köyü altı, Büyükçekmece
Tel: 444 0 340
Beyoğlu Belediyesi Rehabilitasyon Merkezi
Web Sitesi: www.beyoglu.bel.tr
Adres: Bademli Mevkii, Musevi Mezarlığı’nın içi.
Tel: (0212) 210 22 22
