Saving Yildz
In a village in Turkey, a Kangal mother was found alongside her litter of pups. Although she kept to herself and posed no trouble, the current anti-dog sentiment led to complaints from the villagers.
Thankfully, someone reached out to a kind-hearted community carer, who was ready to rescue the mother and her puppies. But upon arrival, the carer was unprepared for the terrible situation that awaited her.
Poor Yildz was in a distressing state, showing worrying neurological symptoms. The carers, concerned and unsure of what had caused her condition, quickly sprung into action.
One of them took a brief video, potentially useful as evidence, while the other hurried to prepare the car to take Yildz and her puppies to the veterinary clinic.
It is heartbreaking to think that sometimes dogs like Yildz, who have been the subject of complaints, might fall victim to deliberate poisoning by heartless individuals. On other occasions, driven by hunger, they might ingest non-food items that are toxic, leading to accidental poisoning.
My heart ached as I watched the video from our vet, knowing that despite his best efforts, the prognosis was grim. She looked so unwell, and I could sense that her time was limited. The realization hit me hard, and I was devastated when my fears were confirmed.
The loss of a patient is always heart-wrenching, but this time it felt even heavier. Knowing that she had puppies depending on her added an unbearable weight to the sorrow. My thoughts were consumed with worry about their fate, wondering who would now care for them and provide the love and nurturing they so desperately needed.
Yildz's puppies found themselves in a daunting situation, clinging to each other as they deeply missed their mother.
This was part of a joint rescue operation with our Turkish friends, and I played a role by paying for their mother's treatment. Future decisions regarding the pups stayed with my colleagues.
Their attention now turned to the future care of these puppies.
Returning them to the streets was not an option, as they are far too tiny and vulnerable to survive without any skills.
A foster home was needed, where they can receive the care and nurturing they deserve. Until then, they will stay with the vet, undergoing necessary preparations before they are ready to be released into a safe environment.
Life with stray dogs is never straightforward. A few days after taking them in, we were hit with some bad news: they had kennel cough. We immediately started treatment, and they responded well.
However, just as we began to feel optimistic, we received even worse news—they had contracted parvovirus.
It was a terrible blow, leaving us devastated. We initiated treatment right away, knowing there is no cure for parvo. Our focus was on supporting their immune systems and providing intensive nursing care.
We held onto hope, praying that they were strong enough to pull through.
We lost two of the pups
Experiencing the loss of Yildz and then two of her pups has been an overwhelming weight on my heart.
It seems unbearably unfair that such innocent beings, who never chose their harsh circumstances, had to endure so much suffering.
Yildz was cast out onto the harsh streets, a fate she did not deserve, and her babies entered a world filled with challenges they never asked for.
This cruelty feels unbearable, and I find myself questioning the actions of those who surrounded them before the community carer call.
Why didn't anyone step forward to help?
This haunting question is one I grapple with daily, a reminder of the pain that lingers in the aftermath of such loss.
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Michelle x