It is human nature to look for a good explanation and a reason for a certain event, specially when this event is as puzzling and bizarre as the disappearance of two dogs, Bella and Maxi entrusted to a veterinarian.
People’s minds start razing… did they kill the dog? did they sell the dogs to a laboratory? why did they do it?
The explanation, as ever is very simple, and logical.
There is nothing specially evil about Onur Salih Karadag. He is a simple vet, with a small clinic in a not very affluent part of town. A simple neighborhood vet trying to make ends meet. He is, however, trying to operate in a city, Istanbul, filled to the brim with stray dogs.
In recent years the number of animal lovers/rescuers has increased exponentially in Istanbul. Many people have become aware of the stray dog problem in Turkey. Many citizens will stop to pick up an injured animal, and will take the animal to a vet. The problem happens then… vet bills are expensive… who pays for it?
At Let’s Adopt! we receive daily calls for help with veterinary bills. You all know this because many of you have requested our help at times.
After the animal is healed there is a second problem. What to do with the animal? Let’s Adopt! cannot place every animal rescued by people. We just don’t have a large enough network in Turkey, the culture of foster homes has just begun, and our pensions (dog hotels) are filled to the brim. So, facing this situation many animal lovers will, simply, run away and leave their rescues with the vets in the hope they will be able to rehome them.
In most cases vets will try to find homes for the animals left with them, they will call their best clients and ask for their help. This will work sometimes, but most of the times it won’t. This is why, today, the vast majority of vets in Istanbul has a number of unwanted animals in their clinics. We know this very well because they regularly call us and ask for our help.
This is a common problem that no vet reading this note will deny.
But what they will deny is the following… some vets, not all, but a number of them, will, quite simply, dump the animals once they have been treated. They may choose to drive them to a shelter or they may, like in the case of Onur Salih Karadag did, dump them in some forest.
Vets are overwhelmed, as much as we are, but this should not be a excuse to commit an act like the one Onur Salih Karadag committed, abandoning two unneutered puppies on the wild to fend for themselves.
As Tahsin Yesildere, the head of the Istanbul Chamber of Veterinarians said today: local authorities and animal rights groups have to find viable projects and work in collaboration to deal with injured stray animals.
Whilst we understand this, a veterinarian dumping two puppies in the forest is simply unacceptable behavior and we believe the Turkish community of animal lovers will punish those who engage in such acts by simply bringing their business elsewhere.
To end this post I would encourage every animal lover who has had his/her rescue adopted by his trusted vet to check on the current state of the animal. I can guarantee you there will be some surprises there….
Best
Viktor Larkhill
I would rather they be euthanized than dumped! How sad!
awwwwe i would hav adopted one if iknown they would be thrown into a forest forced to fend for themselves 🙁
(would also adopt if daddy wasnt allergic to animal fur 🙁 )
A veterinarian takes an oath similar to one a Doctor takes…and yes, they can take it, but I ask myself do they ALL practice it! Regardless of WHY this vet did this to Bella, and what appears now to be a third dog, it is WRONG! Very, very wrong! And just like the baker who does something WRONG with his baked goods or the merchant who cheats his customer, this vet really needs to be reprimanded since he is dealing with the very living creatures he has agreed to help and protect! Hopefully, he will no longer be visited and allowed to treat people’s beloved creatures. I am also aware of how expensive a vet is, BUT I also know how much they mark their goods and services up! They are not GODS, although they sometimes act as if they are…Dr. Karadag… has acted as if he were God!! SHAME on him and all those who defend him!
“”Being admitted to the profession of veterinary medicine, I solemnly swear to use my scientific knowledge and skills for the benefit of society through the protection of animal health, the relief of animal suffering, the conservation of livestock resources, the promotion of public health and the advancement of medical knowledge.
I will practice my profession conscientiously, with dignity and in keeping with the principles of veterinary medical ethics.
I accept as a lifelong obligation the continual improvement of my professional knowledge and competence.””
Another thing that totally blows my mind…IF this vet is ALWAYS getting dogs dumped off on his doorstep and he CAN NOT treat them or take care of them, they why would he NOT euthanize them more humanely! The injection to euthanize is very, very inexpensive! Instead this great vet…takes an unspayed female pup who has obviously been acclimated to being around people and just lets it go in the woods where there are traps and evil people to hurt it, othere aggressive dogs that could attack her and KILL her and where she can get pregnant to produce more puppies that no one wants! Jeeesh!! Where did this moron get his vet degree??? TIs he even a vet?? Because if he is claiming to be, I would look in to his degrees etc! THIS is not something taught at vet school!! What an idiot!
The vet that would do this betrays his oath, and is an evil man…a criminal, no less. If my vet did such a thing, he wouldn’t just be answering to the authorities, he, most certainly, answer to ME. And, God help us both if I were able to get my hands on the lying bastard.
i am not completely aware of the laws in turkey, but i think it is illegal to euthanize and there is a policy of neuter and release. i will not comment on which is more humane atm. what i will say is i hope the fostering program will grow from this incident. i can say i am currently fostering and it is a rewarding experience. my two foster babies are sleeping with me now.
Animal Law of Turkey states that “strays have right to live in their environment. Municipalities should spay, neuter, vaccinate and tag their ears(proof that these procedures were done) and return them to where they were found.”
But most municipalities pick strays, against the law prison them in shelters in dire conditions, or after these procedures are done dump them to desolate areas so that they can die of starvation, or by traffic, or bluntly poison them and shoot them, then deny that they did it.
Call me paranoid/skeptical but how sure is anyone that these poor dogs are even alive? Could they possibly have died while at this vet and the only viable explanation he could provide without the truth being found out was to lie about leaving them in the forest? Sorry, but I DO NOT trust humans, and human behaviour is questionable at all times. I am so sorry that these two pups were relinquished to his negligent care; Bella especially because she had a forever home and loving family waiting for her. I believe something happened to the dogs while they were in his care and instead of coming clean he is lying about them being dumped in the forest. I would challenge him on this if I lived there. Someone should ask him straight out if this is the case. I hope this ‘vet’ never gets another patient and his business tanks. He deserves to live on scraps and be banished to the forest as well., just as all these poor animals are when they are dumped by sick sub-humans. This ‘vet’ is far from compassionate or caring – he is just plain evil!
I just do not know what to say I would rather go with out food than treat an animal in my care in this way I continue to be absolutely speechless
What I don’t understand is – if the vet knows that Bella is one of Let’s Adopt’s cases, and a home for her is being prepared – why do this…?
This man does not deserve to continue his practice. He knew that Bella had a forever home already for her. There has to be a reason why he did what he did. He certainly has shown that he cannot be trusted with any animals.
I would much rather Turkey control their mass stray dog population by humanely euthanizing them. Injections might be expensive but to eliminate suffering, neglect, etc. it’s a cause worth investing into. The country needs to adopt out all they can and humanely euthanize the rest. They will be far better off over the rainbow bridge than fending for themselves in the woods while receiving no medical treatment for wounds and food for starvation. This is ridiculous.
Christine… there is no way to humanly euthanize all the dogs here.
Furthermore, this strategy would never work… if it worked there would be no dogs on the streets now because that is what they tried to do for hundreds of years.
The correct implementation of Neuter and Return is the way about it… it is also the LEGAL way.