by Burak Akinci

ANKARA, April 10 (Xinhua) -- In a suburb of Turkey's capital city Ankara lies a warm home for hundreds of disabled and stray dogs, which have been given a second chance of life by a rescue charity.

Patilikoy, literally translated as "Paw Village," is run by a charitable organisation in the lakeside Golbasi district of the city, dedicated to the rehabilitation of around 650 canines.

"We host dogs that cannot survive anymore on the streets, or have various disabilities, or have been victim of violence from humans," animal lover Volkan Koc, the co-founder of the dog village, told Xinhua.

The difference, he explained, of his rescue established on 20 acres of land is that it is not only a shelter like others across Turkey, but offers also a natural habitat for dogs, helping them heal from psychological trauma.

"We welcome visitors from Turkey and all over the world who express sympathy for the work we do for dogs subjected to violence, abuse or victim of road accidents," Koc said.

"During the COVID-19 pandemic, donations, which are essential for the operation, have literally come to a halt as people fear for their own livelihood during the time of crisis while some people have lost their jobs," Koc said.

Emre Kapan, the other co-founder of the shelter, said that only one in around 100 rescued animals is adopted, calling citizens to demonstrate their love for these dogs who have been given a second chance in life.

"Scientific studies suggest that if a person has a pet, his immune system gets a boost in times of pandemic as we are right now," he noted.

There are many animals in the complex that will spend the remainder of their days with serious disabilities. One of them is Simsek (Lightning), a crossbreed what it seems from a doberman and a pitbull.

One night, a burglar broke into her home and shot her in a rear leg with a firearm, shattering the bones. Then she was abandoned on the street by its owner until being cared by Patilikoy. Her leg has been amputated.

"People often tend to adopt a healthy animal rather than a disabled one, so we feel responsible for those who have nowhere to go," Kapan said.

He also emphasized that the operation needs thousands of U.S. dollars each month for food, healthcare and other services, but the coronavirus pandemic made things very difficult.

"Our animals have higher expenses than normal pets because they need regular veterinary help and support, sometimes surgeries, and it is very costly. We have thousands of liras of debt and it's a big challenge,"he added.

During the pandemic, there has been a significant increase in stray animal adoptions as lockdowned people were in need of the affection of a pet to reduce the forced loneliness.

Sadly, with the gradual easing of restrictions, many of these animals were once again abandoned by their senseless owners, Volkan Koc noted.

"A pet is for life, anyone who is not ready to assume this responsibility should categorically avoid adopting them. Abandoning a pet is the worse thing that you could to these souls," he stressed. Enditem

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