In 7 months, 5,202 alerts were responded to.

Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality Animal Shelter and Rehabilitation Center intervened in 5,202 reports in the last 7 months.

Established in 2009 under the Directorate of Health Affairs and serving in an area of 17,054 square meters, the Animal Shelter and Rehabilitation Center includes 51 dog kennels, a cat house, a livestock shelter, an X-ray room, a laboratory, an operating room, and an administrative building. The center has a capacity of 550 animals, with 400 dogs and 150 cats, where injured animals are treated, cared for, and their nutritional needs are met.

1,202 animals were released into nature

Immediate intervention is made to complaints received from citizens at the Animal Shelter and Rehabilitation Center. In the 7-month period from April 8, 2024, to today, teams intervened in 5,202 reports and completed the care of 1,202 animals, releasing them back into nature.

130 animals were adopted

The teams, which first separate the incoming animals by gender, rehabilitate sick animals. Teams return the animals whose care and treatment are completed to where they were taken from, as per Law No. 5199, while also facilitating the adoption of some animals. In this context, in the last month, a total of 130 animals were adopted, including 26 cats and 104 dogs.

Treatment is done on-site with a mobile vehicle

The care center teams conduct field work with a mobile sterilization vehicle as part of the on-site treatment program. The mobile sterilization vehicle is equipped with all the maximum features that a clinic should have, along with an insulated and completely sterilizable environment, air conditioning and ventilation systems, hot and cold water systems, and a generator for areas without electricity. The vehicle, which is fully equipped for sterilization of stray animals in rural areas, includes a sterilizer and a cage system for emergencies. The teams treated 368 animals with the mobile sterilization vehicle and performed the sterilization of 19 dogs.

“Our sterilization efforts continue”

Providing information about their activities, Jehat Altun, the person in charge of the Animal Shelter and Rehabilitation Center, stated that they have intervened in 5,200 reports since April, noting that the number of cats in the reports has been higher than that of dogs. Altun said, “We are currently focusing on sterilization efforts for animals coming from the districts. We are working on the treatment of scabies-infected animals coming from the districts on a district basis. Additionally, our sterilization operations continue in various places in the city with the mobile sterilization vehicle. We have also intervened with the mobile sterilization vehicle for traumatized sick animals in various locations in the city.”

“Animals are our silent beings”

During the 7-month period, Altun also mentioned that they intervened for animals affected by the fires in Çınar and Mardin and stated that there are efforts to establish shelters in the districts. Altun said, “We had a meeting regarding shelters with our Director of Health Affairs and the mayors of Çınar. There are initiatives to open a shelter as soon as possible. Ergani district has a project in this regard. Bismil is also making efforts to create a space. These are important things. Establishing shelters in our districts would be better for solving the issues. Animals are our silent beings. They have no voice. Let us continue to be their voice.”