Time for M’sia to emulate Turks’ attitude on strays
Published on: Saturday, December 18, 2021
By: Shirley Khong
STRAY animals in Turkey truly do have a good life. A majority Muslim country, Turkey has an excellent attitude towards their stray animals, both cats and dogs.The Turkish treat their strays with love and respect and this is visible in many places that allow stray dogs to sleep in the malls and even their metro/trains and buses, especially during the cold winter months there.ADVERTISEMENT
Many business owners provide these dogs with beds and blankets, food and water ensuring they do not freeze to death in the snow and cold. At other times, food and water are left outside cafes, restaurants and shops for these strays.
Likewise, in the hot summer, people leave bowls of water outside their premises (ie cafes, restaurants and shops), ensuring the dogs and cats do not go thirsty or hungry. As such, the strays are always fed and cared for, and they do not need to resort to rummaging in the bins etc.
Rather than seeing these stray dogs as a nuisance, people create ingenious ways to help better care for them and make their lives a little easier and happier.
One example is a dog food dispenser machine (this looks like a normal vending machine) but instead of money the public are encouraged to deposit their used plastic bottles in exchange for dry dog kibble for the strays.ADVERTISEMENT
How it works is that each time an empty plastic bottle is deposited in the machine, dry dog food is dispensed and collected at the base of the machines and a dog/cat can come and help itself.
There is also a place where one can empty the water from the bottle/pour water in for the dogs/cats to drink. It is a win-win situation; encourages recycling and allows the strays to be fed and stay hydrated. A recycling company will pick up the plastic bottles on designated days and times.
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Stray cats are welcome into the Turkish mosques, especially during the cold winter months, away from the freezing winter weather, where these cats are welcome and fed and kept warm. They have become part and parcel of the community, rubbing up to people they are familiar with for some love and affection.
The local council neuters these stray dogs and cats and a government mobile vet ensure these strays are tagged and remain healthy.
They say one can judge a country by the way it treats its animals. Perhaps we Malaysians can do the same for our beautiful and often undervalued stray cats and dogs; it would be so wonderful!
However, upon saying that, Malaysian attitudes are slowly changing and more and more people are realising these animals need our care and support and we are proud to say that even the Muslim attitude towards dogs are changing for the better now!
Malaysia boleh! We can do it!
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