Story By: Feza Uzay, Sub-Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency: Newsflash
A stray dog on the verge of death after it was taken to a kennel with a broken leg and then attacked by other dogs in cramped conditions at the local pound has been given a new life after it was adopted by a woman in London.
Poppy lived on the streets in the Turkish mining town of Kilimli in the province of Zonguldak which is on the Black Sea coast, and ended up being taken to the Catalagzi Street Animals Rehabilitation Center after getting a broken leg last August.
Because Poppy was only medium-sized, she was caught between the small dogs and the big dogs and as can be seen in these photos had been bullied before being taken to a vet for treatment by a local volunteer, Dogan Yildiz.
The 24-year-old Dogan who arranged treatment for the dog knew that Poppy would probably not survive if taken back to the shelter, and so started a last-minute appeal to try and find a forever home for the ill dog that also had scabies and Leishmaniasis, caused by a sandfly bite that leaves painful lesions on the skin.
As her ongoing treatment would have an expensive, chances seemed slim that anyone would adopt the dog but then the appeal was noticed by Kirsty Lucas, who lives in London, and decided to arrange to adopt Poppy.
She said that she spent GBP 2,000 to bring Poppy from Zonguldak to London and since then she had flourished as can be seen in these pictures.
Kirsty, who takes care of dogs in the UK for people who go on holiday, said: “I decided to adopt Poppy when I saw her photo.
“It would be great if all of the dogs left in the shelter were adopted.
“Unfortunately, most people are unable to do so because of the cost.
“It cost almost GBP 2,000 for Poppy to come to me from Turkey.
“Since she has Leishmania, she will live on medication for the rest of her life. That means she is an expensive stray dog.
“Here though she enjoys the companionship of other dogs and she loves to sleep under cars when it is sunny.
“I can say she seemed very happy now. I wanted to save a dog that wouldn’t have a chance to survive if it wasn’t adopted.
“I wish adopting a dog wasn’t so hard and expensive. I want to raise awareness in the UK and get more dogs out of shelters.”
Poppy turned up in London just before Christmas last year and it was the best present she ever had.
The Turkish volunteer that helped her find a new home, Dogan Yildiz, who has been volunteering at the animal shelter for three years said Poppy was one of the lucky ones.
He said: “By adopting puppies or adult dogs from the shelters, they can be given the chance to live. The animals here do not have a chance to live. The life expectancy of dogs in shelters is 1 or 1.5 years. They, unfortunately, die of infection with diseases or other things.”
He urged people who wanted a dog to consider adopting rather than buying a new one.
