Animal Shelter or Death Camp – The Mersin Question
Concerns have recently surfaced about the conditions in Mersin’s municipal shelter, following reports from a whistleblower.
Sevil Kumaş, a former employee shared horrific images of animal neglect & abuse after resigning her post.
Her claims have sparked an important discussion about animal welfare, transparency, and responsibility in Mersin and beyond.
Allegations and Concerns
In Mersin, allegations have emerged about poor living conditions, insufficient care, and high mortality rates among shelter animals. These concerns raise serious questions about the facility not fulfilling its purpose as a safe haven for vulnerable animals.
Why This Matters
The situation in Mersin reflects a wider issue: how we, as a community, care for animals who rely on us. Shelters should be places of safety and recovery, but without proper oversight and support, it is difficult to guarantee that standard is met.
Mersin Metropolitan Municipality issues statement regarding shelter allegations
The Mersin Metropolitan Municipality issued a statement following the allegations of images shared on social media regarding the Kaşlı Animal Care Centre and Wildlife Centre, within its body. The statement stated that the care, treatment, spaying, and post-spaying procedures of all animals brought to the care centres are carried out meticulously, and that the images captured are of the animals when they first arrive at the care centre, before treatment. The statement said, “The images showing the current conditions of the cats and dogs in question, whose treatments are being meticulously carried out, will be shared with the public.” The statement also indicated that an attempt was being made to create a negative perception and included the statement, “Our teams check the animals in all paddocks in our care centres every morning and perform routine cleaning and care.”
Dog Desk Animal Action’s Perspective
At Dog Desk Animal Action, we believe that the best outcomes for animals come from cohesion between municipalities, animal advocates, and the volunteer community. When these groups work together, they can share expertise, build trust, and create meaningful improvements. Volunteers, in particular, bring essential support that strengthens the care shelters are able to provide.
Moving Forward
Encourage open dialogue between authorities, advocates, and the public in Mersin.
Support independent observation to promote accountability and trust.
Promote volunteer engagement as a core part of improving shelter conditions.
Take Action with Dog Desk Animal Action
The animals in Mersin’s shelter – and shelters everywhere – rely on all of us to ensure their safety and wellbeing. You can help by:
✅ Raising awareness – share information to keep the conversation alive, the world is ignoring the suffering, to be silent is to be complicit.
✅ Support our efforts – we advocate for positive partnerships between municipalities and animal welfare groups for the well-being of the animals.
✅ Support our social media presence - Follow, share, like & comment on our posts. The more visible we are, the more visible the animals are.
Together, we can help ensure that every shelter, including Mersin’s, becomes a place of care and hope rather than despair.