About

Yedikule animal shelter, housing 2000 dogs was built in 2001. The center based on 8000 sqm also includes a 500 sqm landscape and walking area. Architect Meral Olcay is the volunteer manager of the centre which recruits 12 employee. The volunteer manager of Fatih Municipality Yedikule Animal Shelter Meral Olcay commentates the centre:

What ‘s the story of this shelter?

The year was 2000 , I was heading to my work (as a supervising engineer) at parks and gardens and there was a traffic jam. I changed my route and entered Surdibi location. I saw an old man feeding 20-30 dogs with dry breads in the place where this shelter is now located. I stopped my car and asked him what he is doing. “They abandoned these dogs and left them here so what can I do except for feeding them” said the man. “You cannot feed them like that. I can bring you some food and we can feed them together” I said. We prepared foods and dishes at home everyday. I came to feed the dogs at 7 a.m. before going to work. We fed the animals and then I go to work. I bothers me and I also came in lunch breaks. Again visits after work. With the help of animal organizations, I operated, spayed and vaccinated all these animals. Day by day, they left more animals here considering that they are fed anyway. Also the municipality started to leave the animals they gathered. The numbers of the animals reached to 300-400. Which was too much that we cannot handle alone. Then, I explained the situation to our mayor Arch. Mr. Mimar Eşref Albayrak and deputy mayor Mr. Nurettin Ertemel. “Let me draw a project which you will be proud of and built this shelter. Meanwhile, the number of the animals continued to rise. And became totally uncontrollable. They gave approval to the project. And the construction began with the animals in it. Our shelter having 1500 animal capacity was finished in one year. The grand opening was done with the accompaniment of our Istanbul Governor at that time Mr. Erol Çakır, also Tınaz Titiz, Orhan Kural, İsmet Sungur and many other animal lovers in August, 2001.

From the opening day to now, both the numbers of the animals and visitors are increasing. 200-300 visitors are coming on Saturdays and Sundays. Not only from neighborhood but from Pendik, Kartal, Halkalı, İzmit, even Gaziantep. This is a huge happiness for us. We have the moral supports from Leman Sam, Ediz Hun and many others.

You work here voluntarily. How do you run this shelter?

Every dog has a substantial burden. Animal organizations make donations. In here, instead of donating people pays for the animal needs. We have debits in a veterinary clinic, a dog food store and a drugstore. People willing to own an animal are guided to one of these stores where our debts are higher. They pay some of the debts according to the animal they have chosen. If they are only visiting and ask how they can help, we tell them that they can buy the medication we need or pay some of our debts. Except that, our municipality gives us a great support. This shelter belongs to Fatih Municipality and they pay our 10 employees salary. We gather food from hospitals, hotels and factories. We try to get dry food. Aygaz company meets our cookery gasoline. Apart from that, all the expenses are fulfilled by the animal lovers.

This place is an example for other municipalities. Are there any other municipalities asking for supervising for their own shelters?

Of course they are. I draw a project upon the request of Beyoglu Municipality. A project is not the first essential for building a shelter. First a suitable place has to be located for a shelter. Then a fund has to be allocated. I can draw the project for free, that is my job. And I have drawn one for Beyoglu Municipality. They found a suitable place but could not allocated a fund from the assembly. Likewise, Eminönü Municipality asked for a project, too. “First find a place and then I will help you gladly” I also responded to them. They came from Tekirdag Municipality. If you just take a look at the e-mails they have sent me, you cannot believe how many projects are requested. I want to emphasize this. A project is not something inflexible. A different project is drawn for a different area. The requirements of the area such as the wind directions, channel connections or weather conditions are highly important in a project. For example if there is no electricity on the land you have to build a transformer. If there are no channels, you have make cesspool. In other words, first the area has to be determined then the project of the shelter has to be drawn on it.

Are there any animal lovers who offer their help in the shelter?

There are many people coming with this offer. My response to them is; Just come and show your love and compassion. We already have employees who work here. They make the cleaning five times a day. There are 2000 animals here in this shelter so hygiene is very important. We need volunteers who will love our animals and take care of the puppies who need special care. Please bring food, biscuits, old newspapers, used carpets, and old sweaters while visiting. Last week Leman Sam brought 20 sweaters, milk, foods and antibiotics. Likewise, Prof. Orhan Kural, Ediz Hun, Tınaz Titiz regularly visit us.

You have been on the press lately. What is the advantage of it?

Having in press coverage did not happen without a reason. I sent all the press associations an e-mail asking why they do not make any new about animals. Most of the shelters are known as animal demolition places. On the contrary, in this shelter animals live happily. This place is an example. People has to be kept informed about it.

Thanks to the news, many people are aware of our shelter now. Dogowners are increasing. As the number of the visitors increases, there occurred a friendship between them. There are groups coming every Saturday and Sundays. They met each other and continued their friendship. They promise to see each other saying “Let’s meet on the shelter for the next weekend”. So we conduced to form a frienship between these people. .

There is only one disadvantage of our presence on media. There is an increase on the applications saying that they have pets in their house which they cannot take care of and want to leave them to the shelter although we insistently emphasize that we need help for taking care of the animals. We, kindly refuse them by saying we have 2000 dogs and have no free space for more. Every district has their own shelter, please get in touch with them. So we lead them to the closest shelter in their neighborhood. Fatih Municipality picks up the straying dogs and brings to our shelter. For the last three days the number of the dogs entering the shelter is 25. I cannot accept other dogs beside that, as this place is a shelter built to serve for Fatih Municipality. What will happen to the dogs in Fatih district if I accept other ones from different regions?

What is an adoption project? How can we adopt?

The essential thing is to give these animals a home and embracing them. On the other hand most of the people say that although they love animals they cannot look after them at home but still want to feel this compassion. Adoption project serves for these people.

This is the idea of Tınaz Titiz. The most important characteristics of Tınaz Titiz is his continuous ideas and his mind exercises. He first mentioned about this adoption project on the opening day of the shelter. This is a unique project which has never been applied in any other countries. Now, this is getting more popular in other shelters, too.

In adoption process, animals stay in the shelter. In this condition there is no space left for the new ones, however it is useful in that aspect: Under favour of these adopted dogs, also his friends have the advantage of sharing his food, antibiotics, etc. When people come here to adopt a dog, it is usually very difficult to choose only one as they are cuter than each other. After adopting one of them, they support the vaccine, haircut and treatment costs. Beside that, they donate 25 kg food every month. So with these donations other dogs also have the chance to use them. We do not allow them to take the dogs for a walk immediately. First they have to come regularly so that we can know and trust them. Then, we let them to take their dog for a walk. There is no such a thing coming here for adoption and take the dog instantly. For now we have approximately 30 dogs adopted.

How is dogowning going?

Till now, we have more than 1000 dogs owned. While dogowning, we apply some procedures same as the Society for the protection of the children does. They fill the form in our web site and send us some photos or videos introducing us the place where our dog will live. After an investigation, we invite them to our shelter for interview within the work hours. The number of the owners who cannot handle it is less than 20. Because we show ultimate attention while owning. We take their credentials, addresses and phone numbers. We investigate them. Whether they are living in a rental or own their own house? Do their neighbours complain about the dog ?

You use the Internet frequently and has a web site. In what ways is it useful to you?

We can reach more people. Without Internet, the shelter will be limited to Istanbul only. Now I get messages from Holland, the U.S, France, Nigeria, Japan and China. By this way we can reach the whole world.

How is life in the shelter?

We start work at 8:30 a.m. and do the first cleaning. Second cleaning at 11:30 a.m., third cleaning at 13:30 p.m., and fourth one is before lunch at 14:30 p.m. At 15:00 p.m. lunch and at 16:30 p.m. fifth cleaning is done. We give out food to all barracks once a day. In the morning dry food and milk, in the afternoon normal food is given to the mothers, caniches and puppies twice a day. Special kind of food is cooked for caniches. Our routine environmental cleaning is done for 500 sqm.

New dogs coming everyday are taken under supervision for 10 days. After this 10 days supervision, we put them into the appropriate barracks. They can bath in their basins at summer. We also have bathrooms for them. Caniches go to haircut twice a year. Sick animals go to treatment according their treatment programme everyday at 13:30-14:00 p.m. Dogs suffering from cancer go to cancer treatment every Sunday. Twice a year; at the beginning of summer and winter; common barrack cleanings and disinfections for ticks and flee are done. Parasitical treatments are done to our 2000 dogs twice a month.

Our barracks are designed in a way that can stay cool at summer and warm in winter. There are no doors on the barracks. These animals live in small cartridges having carpets, heaters and lamps, in order make them feel at home.

Do you have any social works for children?

Every Tuesday and Thursdays, schools are visiting our shelter since May. A service vehicle of our Municipality serves for children taking them from school and brings them here. Children do not come here with empty hands. They bring old newspapers, pasta, milk and dry dog food. We have a playing ground for children here. They love animals and also play games here. Afterwards, these children bring their families with them at the weekends.

Can you also mention about your own dogs?

I have four dogs at home right now. First one is a caniche named Lolita. Second one is Minik which we have founded in a new year’s day. We have later learnt that Minik has cancer. He stayed at my home during his treatment for 3-4 months. He accommodated to home immediately. He did not move one inch when I let him go. He did not come out under the car. I fed him everyday at midnight. I finally find him a home. I phoned to ask how he is doing everyday. They told me that he did not eat anything and moved a bit. My husband and I looked each other’s face and went to the place where we gave Minik. It was 11:30 p.m. He rolled over from happiness when he saw me. He madly looked at me begging to take him with me. We could not resist anymore and brought him back to home. The third one is Fistik whose eyes are blind. The fourth one is Pamuk who is born here in the shelter. We owned him when he was 1-2 moths old. When a boxer chops one of our dogs on the street, we decided to give our love to this new one. So this is how Pamuk joined us. Besides my four dogs, I have 2000 other dogs here.

Fatih Municipality Yedikule Sheltering and Rehabilitation Centre of Street Animals

Yedikule Sahil Yolu,
Surdibi Eski Havagazı Deposu
Phone-fax (212) 633 58 57