For the love of dogs

A few years ago, I was walking around Netsel Marina in Marmaris, where the Marmaris Animal Friends Association was having a fundraising event for animals. I went up to my friend's stall, to see what I could buy. As I looked around, this small, white bundle of fluff came out from under the table.  Two large, soulful, brown eyes looked up at me. "Who's this?" I said as I bent down to stroke the puppy. "She's from the rehabilitation center. I'm taking care of her because she's so young and she needs a home, how about yours?"  I looked at her in disbelief and said "I've got a kitten." "Ok," she responded. "They can be mates!" At that point the puppy came up to me and stood up on her hind legs and waved her front paws at me. I looked at her and that was the moment my heart melted. I knew I could not walk away. "Ok, I'll take her," I said. My friend picked the dog up and gave me a hug and said, "I'll pop round with things you need and give you some advice, don't worry." I have my spontaneous moments and this was one of them. I took the dog in my arms and put her in my large shopping basket and waved goodbye.

Over the years, life has improved for the Marmaris Municipality Animal Rehabilitation Center, which is located behind the bus garage in Marmaris.  The Marmaris Animal Friends Association has done a lot of fundraising events during this time to support the center. 

Bora Deveci is the veterinary doctor; they have three workers and a couple of volunteers from the association to assist them. Deveci would like to see more improvements at the center. The sad fact is that there are 400 dogs to look after. Why is this? Because people take the dogs and don't realize that they are a responsibility and they are uninformed as to how to look after them. The...