Two more animals have been desexed!

The first was a female cat in Ankara that had recently given birth to a litter of kittens. We had planned to desex her some weeks ago, but she temporarily disappeared from the area. Upon her return she was very thin and presented with a painful, infected eye. We arranged admission to the local veterinary clinic where she spent 10 days. During her admission she was desexed and received treatment for a severe eye infection caused by a grass seed which had become lodged inside her 3rd eyelid. The seed caused ulceration and an infection of the cornea. Whilst she has been left with some permanent scarring, our little friend recovered well enough to be released back into her local neighbourhood.

Pooh Bear, one of the ten puppies TAA discovered in a park in Ankara, has now been desexed by the local council. After spending a week in the council shelter he was returned to his home in the park, where one of the local carer’s, Sebnem, noticed that he had picked up a post-operative infection. Sebnem organised pain relief and antibiotics to be administered in the park.

Because these dogs live on the streets it is not practical for them to wear an Elizabethan collar after surgery as many pet animals would. This means that they tend to lick their wounds which can lead to delayed healing and infections.

Narin’s close call with a car

Narin, Pooh Bear’s sister, was lucky to escape being hit by a car with only bruising and soreness that lasted a few days. She initially was unable to move her back end and had radiographs which cleared her of any fractures. Narin was treated with some pain relief and returned to the park.

It’s a tough life out there for Turkey’s street dogs and these particular individuals are very lucky to have Sebnem and her team caring for them. Many street dogs do not have access to medical treatment, vaccinations, nutritious food and most importantly, love.

What you can do to help

Everyone can make a difference to an animal’s life. Whilst financial donations are always welcomed by animal shelters and rescue group, your time is also incredibly valuable. There are many organisations that are in need of volunteers to assist with caring for animals, running opportunity shops and other fundraising activities. Donations of food, toys, flea and worming products, old towels, blankets and bedding are all welcome. Most animal charity groups post information on their websites as to how you can assist.

Recently we donated food, toys and second-hand dog rugs to the Blue Cross Shelter in Wonga Park, Victoria, Australia. Even if you don’t have any of these, their Facebook page states that they are also looking for toilet rolls, cardboard boxes, egg cartons and paper - common household items that practically everybody has lying around! So please consider collecting these materials for animal shelters in need.