Friends Of The Animals (FHDD) In Fethiye, Turkey

By Kate | Permalink | No Comments | June 5th, 2007 | Trackback

While traveling in Turkey, I had the chance to visit an inspiring non-profit initiative: Fethiye Friends of the Animals/Fethiye Hayvan Dostlari Dernegi (FHDD), which works to improve the lives of street dogs and also contribute to a humane eventual reduction in the street dog population via medical treatment, including vaccination and spay/neuter programs.

Similar to Welfare of Stray Dogs in Mumbai, India, FHDD in Fethiye is a local organization which raises awareness about the importance of spaying and neutering stray dogs and also actually caries out the medical neutering procedure. It was founded in 2000 - by animal lover and retired business woman Perihan Agnelli at the request of the town mayor, another animal lover, in order to more humanely deal with the street dogs in Fethiye. Since then, FHDD has much improved the situation for street dogs and the people who share the city with them in Fethiye.

There is a mobile clinic which allows the two staff vets to go out into the field from time to time; there is also a regular clinic on the premises as well as a cattery and two separate – and a wooded, free-running area where dogs stay temporarily, before and after undergoing surgery.

I had the chance to visit at the end of 2006 and Dr. Emre Kangal took the time to show me around the clinic and even let me watch an operation. He and his colleague use what’s known as the “keyhole method”; this involves making only a tiny incision and the surgery can be done both safely and quickly. Other vets from the area or from other parts of Turkey have come to observe and learn.

Visitors are always welcome, and in the summer FHDD runs an information booth at the weekly Fethiye market. Various vets and animal foundations have donated time and money and while there are no specific volunteer positions, if you have a specific skill to offer, get in touch via the “>website.

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