I’m writing this at 5 in the morning.
This post is going to be one of those where I point fingers, so if you are going to take offense please feel free not to continue reading. Actually, if you are going to take offense please feel free to leave Let’s Adopt! right now.. and don’t come back.
Here it goes…
This group performs miracles, every single day. The amount of animals we save, the way we save them, the lenght we go to make sure they get a second chance is something completely unheard of in the turkish (and dare I say) international animal rescue networks. After every success story, I make a point of thanking everyone involved, including each and every single member of our community.
But the truth is, most of you don’t desserve my thanks.
The reach of this group and the way it engages its members is unprecedented and exciting. A group open by nature, where everyone has the same opportunities to get involved, by networking, by fostering, by adopting, by donating to the fund that pays for most of the rescues and medical treatments. Still, the passivity of most of our members is only comparable with how demanding those members become when they need our help.
The most painful reflection of this passivity is the fact that as of today, we don’t have a single good foster home in our homebase, Turkey. Not one.
What happens when we don’t have foster homes? Animals die.
Today we have a little puppy, Latte, fighting for survival in our clinic. This puppy was not supposed to die, but if he does, it will be entire your fault.
Latte was rescued in Bolluca, treated from infection and mange, stayed at our clinic for weeks whilst on treatment. Unfortunately we coudn’t keep him there forever, we had to make space for another injured animal, so we had to move him somewhere whilst we put in motion our adoption mechanisms. Latte was moved to an inadequate location purely because there was no other generic xanax not as strong place to put him. Today, in that foster location, Latte has been attacked by older dogs, and has suffered terrible injuries on his hip, spine and internal organs.
We do not know the full extend of the damage but Latte’s condition is critical.
Most of our turkish members have one animal, they could easily open their home to another one, even temporarily, with that single act of generosity they could save more, many more. Had we had any available foster homes Latte would not be fighting for survival right now.
I need to be completely honest. When I started this group two years ago I was driven by the hope that turkish animal lovers would rise to the occasion, that guided and empowered by a different kind of community, they would start acting in a more responsible way. But instead we ended up creating a community of dependents, a community where hundreds of people write daily messages to us with incredible demands and expectations, and most of the time, offer nothing in return. A community of helpless, selfish individuals who, with very few exceptions, won’t move a finger to help anyone other than themselves. A community that will sit and watch when puppies like Latte die because of lack of foster homes.
Let’s Adopt! was supposed to be a community of animal rescuers. Something that all of us should be truly proud of. Instead, tonight whilst I listen to the faint breathing of a dying puppy and I feel nothing but disgust and contempt towards the useless monstruosity I have created and I am truly sorry to have wasted my time helping so many of you.
Let’s Adopt! will not be able to rescue any more animals unless our Turkish members start opening their homes as foster homes. From today very single new request for help will simply receive this blog post as a reply.
Do you want us to continue save animals? Start by opening your home and foster.
Viktor Larkhill
viktor@myletsadopt.com
How terribly sad…This poor baby needs someone to love and care for him to get him through this. How could someone let other dogs attack him. Those people should be SHOT.They are supposed to be fosters? I wouldn’t leave a snake with them.!!!
Carole… not entirely their fault.
Things like this can happen when you have a group of dogs together. I know, I have a few myself.
I blame this accident on the entire group. We all created this situation, by inaction.
It is embarrassing that in a city of 14 million people the biggest animal rescue this country has ever seen has no available foster homes.
Viktor….it must so frustrating when this shit happens! I remember I asked you once how you continue what you do day after day and you told me you look at he big picture and rescue one dog at a time! I wish I could help in some way…might be able to send a few US $ to help with vet care! I now see the importance of foster homes. you also told me being a foster can save lives instead of adopting JUST ONE DOG! So I pray that the Turkish people will listen to your call and plea for help and step up to the plate! I also hope that this little pup makes it! I think what you do is so very good and kind! Latte will make it….a little fighter he so obviously is!
Victor, don’t give up! You do change the point of view of so many people. And even if it’s not the entire world, but just a few persons… it’s still a way forward for all those animals!
I hope Latte makes it and will soon be adopted and be playing around with other dogs.
Viktor, I respect you for telling it straight, and you have every right to. Poor Latte…
BLESSINGS AND LOVE AND TURKISH FOSTER HOMES UPON LET’S ADOPT! GLOBAL
hi,
If latte’s situation is critical a foster house will not be sufficient for her.
I can bear the expenses of her being cared in a pet clinic.
Hope, it is not too late.
Please contact me if this a solution at the moment.
Thank you,
Gamze
Blessings upon you, Gamze…thank you for stepping up!
Viktor, Is there anyway I can help? Can he come to the States? I will pay for his medical care and for someone to care for him until he is ready to travel. Please do not let him die
Dear Paula,
Latte is in critical condition and rest assure nobody is going to let anyone die here.
I need your help… Latte has a sister and she is in the same place where she was. We are going to take her out today or else she could be in the same predicament.
I would like you to take her please… as you can see they are identical..
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=3058&id=100001233270698&ref=mf
No well-socialized dog injured (as bad) a puppy ! Why did the owners of older dogs not helpful the puppie when this happened ! I do not understand !!! All this makes me sad and angry at the same !!!!!
Hi !
No well-socialized dog injured (as bad) a puppy ! Why did the owners of older dogs not helpful the puppie when this happened ! I do not understand !!! All this makes me sad and angry at the same !!!!!
This is one of those so needing to be said post you write so well. I can hardly type … I can’t see the keys U am crying so hard. Is there any way he made it ? It looked like The Bridge was calling.. I remember reading your blog about the lack of Turkish foster homes a few months ago. I never forgot it. Don’t know what or how to help do something about it. I think your work miracles and forward and post what your group does. Love and respect you all.
I totally agree with you Viktor,it needed to be said.
I only hope that this will make people there think twice and start fostering.
14 million people & no foster homes?!!Messages & posts like this one,can and will change minds of some of those 14 million,so please don`t give up…you are performing
miracles day by day…this is one of them…
I sincerely hope Latte will get second chance…heartbreaking to see sadness/fear/no strenght/pain/thirst for life in eyes of that poor little thing…..all in those beautiful eyes…
Viktor don`t loose your faith..there are still good & honest people..keep up your astonishing work
What is wrong with the Turkish people ? Do they not have a heart ? How can they not DO anything to help ? I won’t ever visit Turkey because of the cruelty that goes on there. I hope that someone comes forward for Latte. Someone in that area I beg you please give this dog a chance………..it has not had a life yet & is only a baby.
Hi Vktor
I can so relate to your predicament. I am a representative for a very small rescue group in South Africa and we have exactly the same problem – a lack of foster homes. Our kennels are not nearly sufficient for the amount of dogs we rescue on a daily basis and although we offer to cover all costs, whether it be food and medical, so the foster homes only have to provide warmth, basic care and love, the reluctance of people is so frustrating! But from you and I, they expect miracles when they emigrate or move into smaller apartments and cannot understand when we beg them to give us sufficient time to find homes for their animals. We had a family just last week emigrating and we have been begging them for 5 months to let us try and find homes for their Jack Russel and cat. Now they cannot afford the sterilisation fee, even at rescue rates from our vet, but when they wanted to go out that night before we returned their pets, they were happy to pay the kennelling fee for the night! And we have to find homes for the two little ones in only 1 week, with no foster home to take them in so long …
Our work, as rewarding as it can be, have me in tears more often than not and then I have to remind my self why I’m doing this: SAVING ONE ANIMAL DOES NOT CHANGE THE WORLD, BUT SURELY FOR THAT ONE ANIMAL THE WORLD WILL CHANGE FOREVER!
I sense your frustration and desperation but you cannot give up! Good luck and if only one person steps up to this challenge, you have made a difference!
viktor i can absolutely understand your anger and frustration but you say you wont answer any more calls for help in the future if the people dont open thier homes and show support, but wont that defeat the object of saving animals, wont the animals be the ones to suffer if you do that? helping animals is always like banging your head against a brick wall because unfortunatley a lot of people just dont care! it is a very thankless task but the thanks come from the animals themselves wiht the love and devotion they show to us, please dont give up your work, you are doing a wonderful and very humane thing there and the animals of this world need all the help they can get, i will pray for latte and hope that someone can give him the home that he deserves if he, “god willing”, survives.
Anne, without fosters there is nothing we can do.
I cannot hide dogs under my bed…
@ janine… keep the faith girl… there will be change soon. friend me on facebook and inbox me when u do… i will share a story with u. i am from south africa as well and i told viktor the same thing when lets adopt south africa came ino being – the people in our country simply do not care enough to make a difference. everyone pretends to love animals but when it comes down to actually helping an animal these ‘animal lovers’ suddenly vanish or are ‘too busy’ to help out. so i am doing something myself about eradicating the abuse of our animals… one step at a time. its going to be a long, uphill road but i will conquer the system eventually 😉
@ viktor – i empathise with how u feel; most days i feel the same way. but with my project i am hoping to soon be able to open my ‘animal home’ to animals from around the world… i can’t save them all & i can’t help them all, but when serious cases such as this precious boy above come to my attention i can and will help out. i am so sad to hear that he lost his battle to live, my heart broke when i read that 🙁
so just remember, from jan 2011 onwards i am a skype call away, and if u ever need an emergency rescue for an animal my door will always be open & i will accept the responsibility for that animal.
Viktor you do a wonderful job and I am so sorry that this happen to this sweet love –I pray that God will smile to see Latte through this.. and I pray that God will see your though this really tough time also. I have shared this even though I live in the states and we have the same problem here all the rescues of the world need to get together to find a way to convince people to foster –we need a compaign with something like a new dog every 30 days or something along this point….Rescue work is not for the faint of heart and you have a heart as big as the world God bless you Viktor for what you do for the animals and please do not give up…
The problem is that too many dogs are difficult to handle. I would like to adopt many, but my experience is that when the house is overcrowded they do not feel very confortable and sometimes there are problems.
We do need more and more families able to foster or to adopt one or two doggies. Even my vet who has adopted a lot of dogs has had problems when he has too many animals.
Lina, I dont request many dogs in a home, just ONE existing one, that makes two.
> the fact that as of today, we don’t have a single good foster home in our homebase, Turkey. Not one.
Hey Viktor, I resent that comment. I’m fostering a dog for Let’s Adopt right now, here in Istanbul. I volunteered to take him as soon as you called, and he was at my house a couple hours later. I’m home with him all day, and he gets at least 6 walks a day with my other dog. He’s scheduled for a professional grooming next week. He gets a raw diet. What’s not “good” about my foster home?
You are not a foster home, you are an educational institution for dogs.. :-p
Come on Sharon.. don’t resent.. and still.. you are full, which leave us with no good foster homes available.
xx
I wish Latte were here., Although I have no means to foster him in my place , I would have found him a foster home until he recovers. I would have gone above and beyond, even would have taken him to work and stay with him there overnites without leaving him alone for one second until he recovered…
Latte is gone, shame on you so -called animal lovers of Turkey.. It is very hard for me to comprehend why out of thousands of people in this network not even one person could not open a room in his/her house for this baby for 10 days or so.. How hard it is to offer temporary housing. Now that he is gone I wonder how you would live with this conscience and guilt . Shame on you, what a waste of life which could have been prevented by simple and easy sacrifice..
I have a recommendation for you Viktor.. Try to reach poor people in the gettos of Istanbul (gecekondu mahallesi), most would open their homes and care for the animal if you give them money for the care. Because they all need extra income and most are immigrants from rural parts of Turkey, you will be amazed with some who has more compassion for the animals than the so-called well-to do animal lovers .
My mother does that for the stray cats, in exchange money for monthly care , she sends the cats to be taken care of to the poor neighborhood families.. Uptill now, it worked perfectly fine,. Poor people get extra income, cats get fed, everyone is happy and healthy.
i would be very cynical to do this, cujen. there are people who would use the money for other things, rather than feed the animal.
You know, I never thought about that. A lower-income family that is honest (has been checked out) and one could purchase all the supplies for the animal and then just give in real monies enough to where it balances out financially even for both parties involved.
Janine in S.A.:
I wanted to send an idea your way. Could you have some experienced travelers write up instructions for how to take an animal out of S.A. and to another country? I have people contact me all the time for this info here in Turkey. If you post it on your site and send people who inquire to that page, maybe a lot fewer people would abandon their pets.
In reality, VERY few pet owners realize that pets can travel by plane. In fact, anybody contacting Turkish ticket agents by phone will be told outright that animals cannot fly on a plane (wrong!). Even when I show up on the day of the flight (having confirmed our plans many times by phone), the check-in staff always act shocked that I want to take an ANIMAL on their plane. In every case, I show them a printout of their airline’s policy and we get on without any further issues.
So unless people really do their research, they never learn how affordable it is, and how little paperwork is involved for many countries. Taking a pet to the U.S. takes a rabies vaccination, about $20 of paperwork and 10 minutes of time filling out forms. The expense of the crate + shipping is generally $200-400, depending on the destination, the size of the animal, and the availability of cheap used crates. I’ve flown with AND cargo-shipped both cats and dogs, and they’ve all done great, not even a toilet accident in any of our 20+ international flights.
Many owners would be relieved and could plan ahead to take their pets, if only they knew it was possible for pets to fly by plane. The only difficult countries are the UK, Sweden, and Hawaii (USA), which all have quarantines. But I took two dogs through UK quarantine, and even that passed by very quickly and they really enjoyed living in England. And most places, including EU countries, accept pets that have done the proper paperwork, including rabies titres and passports.
I’m so sorry….how useless words, but I dont have other to say….
and I cant help coz I live in Italy and I cant foster any pet for now, damn!
I’m not trying to attack but how in the world can a population that large not have at a least a few foster homes? Taboo, or what? Just doesn’t make sense. There’s infomation disseminated, I’m sure, but there’s no positive feedback about anyone, anyone at all, willing to be a foster?
Viktor,
You are 100% justified in your anger. It is a sad and frustrating fact that so many people just don’t care. I am really sad for this puppy, and millions of others like her.
I wish there was something that I could do to help… I am in the US, I already have 2 large dogs and 9 rescue cats living in my house? I don’t know what I can do to help her…I can send some money donation?
I’m very sorry… I just read that she has died. :'(
Victor, I am so sorry for this little innocent puppy Latte. It is so heart breaking…..
But I support you 100% on your article above. You have every right to be angry and upset. It is unbelievable that NO ONE has a place in their heart for a homeless little soul. Our Norwegian poet Henrik Wergeland said:”If there is space in the heart, there is space in the home”. That is so true. The heart has to be in it. Then the door opens. I have a theory as to why it is so hard in Turkey, but I will keep it to myself, out of fear of being accused of …..well….
The work you do is hard, it is hard on your very mind and soul, it drains every drop of energy out of you. I know it. You must feel so extremely tired at times. Everything seems hopeless. But in between there are small miracles. And there is hope.That is what keeps you going. Am I right?
Oh Viktor, I feel your pain, your anger, your frustration…and believe me when I say it hurts me too!!! I still cannot believe why there are so few compassionate animal lovers in Turkey prepared to foster and help these innocents. Just makes me damn furious!!!
I am in Ibiza this week, and happy to say that on the whole there is not so much of a bad situation with the strays, although the pound I visited today is full with 90 dogs, and an outbreak of Parvo!!! The government just dont give a damn, yet the English carers are breaking their backs to do their best…just so maddening. Managed to walk 6 dogs though which brings a little sunshine into their lives….just little hope for a new home!!!
One day things will get better Viktor…I feel it in my heart xxxx
I feel your pain. I really do. Please know that behind every selfish person you helped, there was a beautiful animal, and that was who you were really helping.
It may take a lifetime to change the mindset and hard hearts of individuals. They exist every where, not just in Turkey. Seriously, God is watching all those who turn their eyes away and deny help to a helpless living being. I wish I lived in Turkey so that I could help locally, I really do.
@ Lina, it is not true that when many dogs are together they are uncomfortable, dogs are pack animals they live in large groups. I share my home with eight dogs, four large breed and four small, four girls, four boys. They are a close knit pack. True for some people controlling a large number of dogs is difficult, and those people should handle only a small number perhaps two or three. Let’s Adopt is not asking that you take in every dog, just that those with one consider opening their homes to a second. Two dogs should not be difficult to handle. Granted I am a behaviorist and trainer which gives me an advantage over the average person, but there is nor reason why someone with one can not save the life of another. I would foster myself (and still do in a pinch) but my home is also home to a large pack of dogs and a large pride of cats, so fostering for me is not practical, at least not until I move out to the country. Had I been in Turkey I would not have hesitated to foster this pup despite the number of dogs in my home. The problem is all of us who work closely with Let’s Adopt already have homes full of animals, we need others to step forward and lend a hand.
TRÈS CHER VIKTOR* JE SUIS EXTRÊMEMENT ,TOUCHÉE ,PAR VOTRE IMMENSE PEINE! ET PAR VOTRE DÉTRESSE!!! POUR BÉBÉ ANGE *LATTE* ET QUE PARMI DES MILLIONS DE PERSONNES AUCUNE! N’AIT ADOPTÉE CETTE SI ADORABLE *LATTE* ET QU’IL N’Y AIT PAS ASSEZ DE REFUGES POUR ACCUEILLIR !! TOUT CES PAUVRES *ANGES* ANS MA VILLE A FORBACH SE TROUVE UN REFUGE SUPER! EN PLEINE NATURE!! LES ANIMAUX SONT PROMENÉS, TOUS LES JOURS! PAR DES BÉNÉVOLES* JE VOULAIS ÊTRE BÉNÉVOLE, PLUS DE PLACE! SUIS DONC SUR LA LISTE! AU CAS OU, ON AURAIT BESOIN DE MOI, GARDEZ ESPOIR! CHER *VIKTOR* VOUS FAITES TANT DE MIRACLES*** POUR ÉNORMÉMENT D’ANIMAUX* ILS ONT BESOIN DE VOUS! DE NOUS TOUS! JE VAIS PRIER POUR QUE TOUT AILLE MIEUX POUR VOUS* VOUS ÊTES POUR MOI, L’ANGE DES *ANIMAUX* SOYEZ BÉNI J’AI FOI EN VOUS! JE VOUS ADORE<3********
This not only breaks one’s heart, it rips your soul to pieces! Why is it those that “say” they love animals, have the money, and lots of them would have the time for a little one, never lift a finger to help? When those of us that really haven’t enough for ourselves always find something to give to these precious ones, be it a small amount, our time, etc. Why is it the ones that would truely open their hearts and homes and love to these homeless, abused animals, are many times just totally unable to do the very thing we so long to do? Foster, Adopt and save lives! I totally agree with you Victor…..there are many that COULD help in such a way but won’t, and many who CAN’T help in that way, but would give everything they own to be able to? I wish I knew the solution…….I am so praying for this beautiful littls soul, Latte…..
I fully support your comments Viktor! Too many people just expect rescues to be there to take their ‘problem’ animals so that they can walk away and feel virtuous that the animal was not destroyed….they don’t want to give anything back. Those good people who can be trusted to foster well are full in no time. I have to admit that we are quite useless, we foster but dogs tend to settle really well into the security of our pack and soon gain their confidence and blossom, and then we cannot part with them! I guess that is how we ended up with 7 dogs (soon to be 8 as we collect our latest addition from Greece in a couple of weeks!) in a not-very-big house.
I Ii
Has the puppy in the picture died? Am I right in assuming that?
What’s the status of this puppy? Email me at carl_e_piper@yahoo.com
He died Carl… he died.
I am so sorry for your loss. Good foster homes are hard to come by even here in the
United States. But in Animal Rescue we need to remember the positive. Otherwise
the negative will drag us down and all the animals we need to rescue along with it.
Good luck . You are doing a great job. We can not change other people but we can change how we think about things . Stay positive do the best you can do the animals are
counting on us.
I am more than a very happy helper, and if you want me to do something, you just need to say it to me, and I will do it.
I can help you in any way you want me to, and I will even try inviting my friends to the group, but I want you to know, I am not full of hope, because animal welfare is not a thing they think of. Maybe they will join the group, but they won’t take part in the groups causes in the same way I do, for example.
But in which other ways can I help? If I could adopt an animal or something, I would try to, but I am living on a school right now, and I don’t know if I can convince my parents, as they live in my home alone right now. But I would try, definetely.
You just need to say so.
– Martin
I am so sorry Viktor. I feel your pain & I only wish I could wave a magic wand & make things better for you & the animals. I see how passionate you are & admire you greatly for what you have achieved for the animals.
I just wanted to say I fully agree with your comments & feel your pain & frustration.
I only wish I could do more to help you & the animals you care for.
As you know I already have 7 dogs that I rescued from Greece, soon to be 8 when me & my partner drive there in a couple of weeks to rescue more.
It’s not asking too much for people to take on another dog, when you have 1why not two or three? I understand not everyone is a good pack leader but hey it’s really not that hard. We would never have had this many dogs if they were just English ones, but after living & seeing the horrors in Greece we know the consequences if these dogs don’t get out. They die, normally horrible deaths. I know the plight of the Turkish animals is no different to Greece. These animals need our help. I only wish my circumstances were different Viktor & that I could help you more.
I would be more than willing to advise people on behavioural issues if they take on more than one dog and encounter problems.
I am so sorry Viktor I know how upsetting this when you have brought an animal back from the brink of death only to have it cruelly taken away but PLEASE do not become too despondent for you have helped save many lives & your mission is now global.
Please anyone reading this show Viktor how much his tireless work is appreciated, if you are in a position where you can help please become a foster home for these desperate animals. If not you, who? If not now when?
Much love & respect Viktor I only wish I could save them all for you.
Your friend Paul
Good JOB Viktor. Here in the US it is frustrating too! There are a bunch of feral cats breeding in my neighborhood and the neighbors are not doing ANYTHING about it! I see abandoned and neglected cats in my neighborhood everyday.Stuff like this happens all the time. I have fostered about 15 small dogs in my home.
I wish I could foster for you.
Love
Karin
Viktor, have you tried contacting your media (TV, radio, newspapers) to spread the word? Maybe it’s just not enough people know about the need for foster homes. I am so sorry this little puppy died. Bless her heart and yours!!! Sometimes we fight the tough battles and don’t win, but sometimes we do and those are the victories we can celebrate. Hang in there. You need your friends to network with their friends and so on to expand your base of foster homes. It’s a shame more people won’t take on at least one doggie. Good luck with your efforts and keep the faith. There are critters out there that need you!!!
Victor, You and Let’s Adopt do AMAZING work. Problem is, there is sooooo much ignorance in the world. And these situations can and should be avoided.
My friend and neighbor found a three legged cat, named Harvey, at a local shelter the other day. She is in love and so is Harvey. She and her husband currently have 2 dogs and two cats, all of whom get along. She desperately wants to add Harvey to the fold, and has filled out the necessary paperwork.
I have had a combination of 9 cats, 4 dogs and a bad tempered macaw over the course of the last 15 years, with no adverse interactions. My friends and I care for each others’ animals.
The problem is that this pet “rescue” is within a pet store called “PetSmart” in Columbus, Ohio, USA. whenever an employee learns that my friend has dogs, they gasps, and look at her like she is the devil…how dare she consider putting a 3 legged cat in a home with dogs! Jasmine, their golden retriever, is old, arthritic, and has a limited, but loving amount of time left on this earth. Max is a recent rescue from the death chamber, has a heart of gold, and loves all animals, including cats. My dogs were TRAINED by cats. The people at PetSmart are ignorant, uneducated and shortsighted, and are preventing this cat from going to a blessed, loving home, where Walter would be loved and would thrive. They ask for adoptions, but make it more difficult for a good family to adopt a cat than a court would make it to adopt a child because *gasp* they have a DOG!!!! And it is a dog they have not bothered to meet, a dog who already lives with two OTHER cats! SHAME!
This must be so frustrating for you, and I can feel the pain and disappointment you feel. I’m in the UK, and am fostering a dog for the first time. I wish I could make things better for you, but unfortunately I can’t. I really hope that you get more support in the future, and that the people who are doing nothing, read about this poor baby.
Run free at The Bridge sweetheart.
I am so sorry abt the dog. It’s very sad. May be the Lord with the pooch. 🙁
i know that i could more to help, i know that i could donate more money i know that, the excuse to say : hey i have already two dogs, i can t foster more ……it may sound like a poor excuse but here are the facts……i live in greece….i fight sometimes with neighbours that come to me and complain about my dogs, they say that my kids are barking to much !!!!
can u believe that?????? well they are dogs, they bark!!! that s what they do !!!BARKING!!!!
WELL!! many times i find myself thinking how can i convince a person that animals have rights and they have a soul, a heart they feel pain……how many times do u think i tried to do that????? doesn t matter!!! what matters really is, how many times did i succeed that???
very few times, or let s say better ……not enough!!!
all i can do is support and share…even here on facebook!
i help the strays out around my home, and my city …i try to touch them so they will trust me ….doesn t work always…
i keep trying …
THANK YOU !!! ALL YOU HEROS OUT THERE FOR YOUR GREAT WORK AND INSPIRATION!!
I’m so so sorry for this baby and the thousands of others like her. I will never understand human cruelty. I wish that you find some good turkish people who can become fosters.
this made me cry as much as the 1st time I saw it who ever you are were ever you are please please if you can please help
so sad… increadibly so sad!!! I feel ashamed of hundreds, thousands of “animal lovers”… those are the ones who are deaf and blind “animal lovers”!!! Latte’s death is OUR fault!!! OUR FAULT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Life is cruel, many people are cruel too…but never forget that there are and always will be angel people who take care of street animals who are in need for food and care…my family is one of them…internet cannot make these kind of angels visible. And I feel sad that many of you blame all turkish people, dont forget the good hearted ones please….and not everybody lives in Istanbul…i have rescued many animals since my childhood, its in my genes. Just wanted to share this with you, please don’t give up!
Thanks Aysegul.. very appreciated.
You are a rarity… and exception… the vast majority of “animal lovers” in this country truly do not give a shit.
If you are in a position to foster, regardless of your location, drop me an email on viktor@myletsadopt.com
I really have no words of comfort. I know you are looking for a foster for 2 other little ones now. I don’t understand humans very well. The last 3 I adopted, with the vet asking me why I would waste my money on them when there are so many healthy animals needing to be adopted. But that attitude is why I did it. I did not want to foster because I did not want to be told how to care for them and when I had spent enough and should give up. Two of them have survived, but now people are reluctant to let me foster, as the cats have FIV and herpes. I did it because no one else would. So, now, I think that I will continue to adopt these types of animals because their plight speaks to me. But, Viktor, there are days when I really do not understand why it is so difficult to find help for these animals. There are days when I don’t like people very much.
This is heartbreaking.Poor baby.Further proof however that without good foster homes available animals end up dead.I encourage everyone to consider fostering.These animals need a safe spot until a permanent home becomes available.RIP baby Latte. V you can only do so much,at least Let’s Adopt tries to do something,tries to save lives,not just sit on your asses and bitch about it!
İ don’t understand the world in general. What is a humann? how dare we consider ourselves superior to other species and treat them and each other with such distain. Here in the south of Turkey (and there are many pockets of people also doing the best they can to rescue in many other areas) but we all facing the same problems. Once people find you are rescueing any animal they call you for every little thing. Victor knows how difficult this is but as İ tell many people this is a lifetime calling. İ am always amazed when people tell me the problems they have with one or two pets and then İ tell them I have up to 30 dogs (usually up to at least 5 puppies. and 4 indoor cats and a few outside ones all living peacefully (most of the time, like children there can sometimes be disagreements ) but they are what keeps us going . The daily rıtualof love and outpouring of affection without asking any thing in return more that food and shelter and affection in return.
Hi Viktor, I can only say how much i respect you for what you are doing in Turkey, you are making a difference and i realise it may not feel like it at times but you are, i recently moved to Kos, Greece where there are a great many problems here with animal abuse and neglect and have found myself taking in animals when they needed it, i am at full capacity as my husband tells me, but if it is easy done and you do not find a home for Latte please send him here and i will look after him and try to find him a loving home.
poor little thing, tears, if we could turn th clock, but we can’t , I hope that the people have learned from this for the future and that they will step up to foster next time you ask them. sorry little one, rest in peace, I can only hope and pray that you didn’t die for nothing, but that people will learn a lesson from it don’t give up Victor, without your help a lot of animals would have died.
I see the importance of foster homes. Until this problem is resolved is there any way to raise money to build a bigger facility to keep the animals in Turkey? I am so sorry I cannot help in Turkey, but you have prompted me to help in my own community. God Bless you and the work you do. I pray that God gives us more resources to help the animals of this world.
Dear Patty..
If we built a shelter in a couple of weeks it would be filled by “animal lovers” that would go around “rescuing” that is, dumping the dogs at our shelter.
It would kill us.
In the last three years we have rehomed thousands of animals without having a shelter and without having any funding other than the occassional contributions from the members of our community.
It is our intention to continue the same path.
Viktor.
Let me start by saying, you have all the right to say what you said. Sometimes getting to the point and being very blunt is the only way to get some peoples attention. You, of all people, have the right to express your opinion considering all you do to save and protect the animals. Bless you for all you hard work and PLEASE don’t ever lose sight of your goal. We, and especially the animals need you and appreciate your work, efforts and sleepless nights. I am soooo sorry this happened. I can only imagine the pain, disgust, anger and helplessness your going through. I wish I were by your side to offer comfort to you and all those in your organization. I also wished I were a rich man so I could do more. As tough as the loss of this Angel is, remember the numbers you have saved. Again, bless you and as hard as it may be, try to keep positive. There are many more that need you and the help of those that work with you…With love and admiration, Corey Bond!…U.S.A…;={
that’s terriblly sad and leaves you feeling helpless and very angry. i understand why you’ve posted. i’d have done the same thing. sadly every rescue experiences more demand from the public than they can meet and always hear from them when the rescue is needed and dont hear from the public when the rescue needs them. it’s the same all over. i always leave a space at home for one foster. i have an adopted german shepherd. i’m very sorry i’m in the uk because i would have fostered for you. my two cats and my dog who used to be anti social are great with all the fosters we’ve had so far, usually a greyhound or another gsd. i do the fostering because i’ve very little money to live on and can’t give what i used to when working. i just have to birl around what i can do but regardless of circumstances still try to do something. it’s terrible being at the hard end of rescue and seeing the dogs you can’t help. you did all you could for this little pup given your circumstances. i really wish i could have been there for you. thinking of you. helping you where i can. always sharing your posts and appeals.
rene
While I don’t live in Turkey.. I would be more than glad to foster in the US. I hope you get the volunteers you need in Turkey.. for the sake of the animals.
Another heart breaking loss. I am so sorry. Sorry for so very much. I’m sorry that I am poor. I am sorry that I live in an apartment and can not have many animals. I am sorry that I am a foot, that would alow me to at least transport some of these babies. I am sorry that so many choose to ignore the atrosceous criminal actions of people of authority. I’m sorry that so many choose to play it safe and will not stand up and be counted. I look upon this picture of this little baby, dead llong before the wee thing should have been. Where is the sanity, where is the heart of humanity? We here in this USA have shelters, have animal protection laws, and to what end? Perfectly healthy beautiful animals die every day in these so called shelters and for no good reason. Animal societies that proclaim the love and care of aimals and yet back laws like the BSL. jThat contradicts their claims of love. With you I do not doubt the fact. I like many others will weep for this little one and the thousnds of others . Banging our heads against the walls trying to find a way to save them all, how? Donating is good if you are lucky enough to have anything to donate, which I seldom do. I donated my tax reund to 3 different groups( I wish I had had more. I hope that you can get more foster homes. I will try as soon as at all possible to get moved so that I can do something in that. I am truely heart broken over this baby,dear God why must this happen.Folks if you have the room and you aren’t stuch in an apartment or house that your land lord won’t alow it please please please stand and be counted. If you have the room please take another little one. They don’t need much room. Anything is better than pain and death. RIP little baby Latte RIP you were loved and now you are missed. I did not have the prvilage of knowing you, that was my loss. I hope you have the run of the grasses on the other side of Rainbow Bridge where you can run and play with out fear, with out pain. God love you little one, God love you.
I remember when this was first posted. Feels just as sad now to read it again So cute was she.
Time has gone by and you have accomplished many heart wrenching rescues. (Loved the X-mas videos)
Thankyou for what you do. I give a bit here and there. What I can. Can’t foster right now because of one of my 2 pitties …. he doesn’t do well with other dogs. I have fostered 30 plus dogs in my time….. sometimes you can’t.
I follow what your group does and try and be at least supportive.
🙁 may he rest in peace 🙁
Bonjour Viktor,
Je me permets de te tutoyer depuis le temps que je te lis. Je ne t ai jamais laissé de commentaire mais tout ce que tu m envoies sur mon FaceBook j ai toujours fait suivre pour informer les gens en Grèce ou je vis depuis 17années, en Belgique, en France, en Angleterre et enfin en Allemagne puisque la plupart de mes posts sont ecrit en trois langues.
Dans ma mémoire reste une de tes demandes ”de peut-être pouvoir faire le pont entre la Grèce et la Turquie”… je n y ai jamais répondu car je traversai une difficultée personnelle qu aujourd hui je je peux te laisser découvrir sur mon blog en Français. (à l époque je devais me séparer après avoir appris une trahison de la part de mon ex-futur mari, me retrouvant seule avec nos 16 rescues dogs sans travail sans vrais amis … que des connaissances à travers le monde du rescue en Grèce… Et bien mon seul soutien à été, celui de 4 amis Grecs et quelques amis qui suivent mon blog depuis des années, des ami(e)s Belges la plupart et quelques Français…
Je suis toujours en Grèce ça tu le sais avec mon Facebook, et aujourd hui il me reste dix chiens qui vivent chez moi dans ma nouvelle location de maison… 16 mois ont passés, je ne travaille toujours pas, et je nourris 10 chiens et je m en sors… seule.
Sur les 16 chiens, 1 à été placé à Athènes chez un ami, 4 ont été adoptés en Allemagne, et une, UNE SEULE j ai du la laissé à une voisine, je pensais aller la recuperer quelques semaines plupart … mais elle a été empoisonnée alors que lorsque je demeurai labàs, nous avons toujours sauvés les chiens de justesse (les empoisonnements en masse etant régulier, avant chaque debut de la vague touristique,ils appelent cela ‘du nettoyagge de ville’.) et lors de certaines fêtes et celebrations les empoisonnements etait régulierement au programme tous les week-ends. J ai connu ce moment d abandon de dire ‘stop.’ mais je me suis vite reprise en pensant que si ceux qui sont rare à vraiment s activer, alors les pauvres toutous, n auront plus personne pour les sauver… Il faut continuer pour eux, être leurs voix. Je pourrai prendre ton texte, ta tristesse, ton découragement, il est valable pour beaucoup de volontaires, membres soit-disant de la protection animalière ici en Grèce… Beaucoup ecrivent, commentent la chaîne est longue sur facebook ou sur les blogs, mais les maillons qui s activent sont que trop peu rare… et souvent cela donne envie d arreter tout… Je comprends ta tristesse devant des situations d impuissances, il n y a pas pire que de regarder et de ne pouvoir faire plus… moi aussi, si dans tout ceux que je connais, un et une seule personne aurait accueilli Litsa, elle serait vivante aujourd hui, imagine moi pendant 5ans j ai protegés ces 16 chiens du poison, et voila une semaine sans moi, et elle meurt victime d une personne qui avait dit qui s en occuperait et finallement n etait pas là pour lui faire les piqûres nécessaires pour la sauver… Soit fort
Amicalement du fond de mon coeur Francesca de Grèce
Sad, Sad, Sad … the only thing I can think right now is, finally he found some rest.
Victor, please, never give up. You all do such wonderful work. My dream ( and I hope I can make it come true in a few years ) is to go living in Turkey and I promise, my home will be always open for fostering this poor animals.
I do not live in Istanbul , however I am turkish and I feel horrible that turkish people are so ignorant … I would love to help through donations if you would take that. I am a animal lover especially dogs and We can try doing more to get the media involved with this.. I can try helping you with that , please send me an email and tell where I can make a donation and if you are interested to get the media involved with the subject .
Hope I can be a little bit of help…
Viktor, I’m so sorry for your predicament and for sweet Lattie. I only hope that this opens up the hearts and homes of people in Turkey. Being in the UK there’s not much I can do other than share your posts and donate as and when I can. I am hoping in a couple of years I can become a foster in the UK, when I can give up going out to work and either work from home or arrange my hours around me. Even then, I believe you have mentioned before that you can’t send dogs/cats to the UK because of our laws. Please don’t give up the good fight, I can understand how frustrating it must be for you and Let’s Adopt, but these poor babies evidently have nobody else to rely on. I donated to the Simba fund last month and will do so again once I get paid this month, but other than that, if there is anything I can do to help please let me know. I’m not on FB much these days due to commitments to my own animals and also my coursework, but whenever I am on I do as much as I can.
Love and light to you and yours.