On April 17, 2007, Ms Verheugen, European Parliament Vice President Günter Verheugen’s wife and ambassador of good will for Pro Animale, accompanied by the organization founder, Joanna Votke, visited Istanbul Mayor Mr Kadir Topbaş to try to convince him of the necessity of the proper implementation of a city wide program of Neuter and Return. Their visit was prompted by a scandal exposing widespread mismanagement and mishandling of public funds, a scandal that would eventually lead to the replacement of Arif Eker, the Head of the Istanbul Municipality Veterinary Department.
In that meeting Mr. Topbaş promised to take control of the situation and to set a special working task to improve the situation.
June 23, 2007, Günter Verheugen, the European Commissioner visits Istanbul on an official trip accompanied by a EU delegation.
During that trip he mets Mr.Topbaş. After a series of pleasantries typical of such encounters Mr. Verheugen, a politician known for his direct style tells Mr. Topbaş how disappointed he is about the lack of progress after the April meeting. Mr. Topbaş, red-faced and visibly embarrassed promises Mr. Verheugen that he would personally make sure things will improve, that he will take control of the situation.
Mr. Topbaş forgot to honor his promise…. Instead he appointed Hasan Gencdal, a civil servant with strong political connections that would proceed to turn the Istanbul Municipality Neutering Program into one of the most visible and publicly embarrassing scandals ever to involve the city of Istanbul. Since his appointment, Mr. Gencdal has been fired 6 times. Time after time his political connections have put him back at the seat of the Istanbul Veterinary Department.
Three and a half years later…
January 23, 2011… Istanbul streets witness the largest demonstration for animal rights the city has ever seen. Large posters depicting Kadir Topbaş right next to some of the victims of his Municipal Rehabilitation center of Hasdal are paraded all over Istanbul. The demonstration is covered by every single media outlet, every newspaper and media station reports on the scandal. Haberturk, in it’s Istanbul edition calls Hasdal a “cronic disease of Istanbul”
Two days later, on Tuesday January 25, a small delegation of animal lovers a meeting with Mr. Muzaffer Saraç, the Head of the Municipality Health and Social Services department. Mr. Saraç’s reaction is identical to Mr. Topbaş‘s back in 2007, he is shocked and embarrassed, and promises to take immediate action. In grand and public manner he makes a series of promises, he announces a new open policy for Hasdal.. everyone is welcome to visit the shelter anytime, photographs are allowed on the premises, drastic change is to be implemented at the shelter at once. People are going to be held accountable, those responsible will be fired at once. He invites us to a second meeting on Friday 28 to discuss concrete steps to improve the situation at the shelter.
Friday, January the 28, in barely three days Mr. Saraç forgets about his promises. The situation at Hasdal remains unchanged.
Don’t you see a trend here? We do… it’s a never ending cycle of lies and forgotten promises, lies to European Officials, lies to the Turkish citizens.
We have no more time to waste. Let’s Adopt! is moving to phase 2 of our campaign against Kadir Topbas.
The campaign will be unveiled on Monday. The Slogan: I DON’T VOTE FOR ANIMAL KILLERS. The goal, to harness the combined voting power of the entire animal lover community of Istanbul and its extended influence in order to counter the current administration chances for reelection in the next Municipal Election.
This will be a campaign unlike no other, it will be no-holds barred and we are going to need YOUR HELP to make it happen.
Stay tuned for our announcement on Monday. This is going to be the fight of our lives.
Viktor Larkhill
I’m shocked to see these horribles images . How a developed country can do that ?!
It LOOKS nice and gentle but thid last picture shows the TRUTH !!!
it has to change , this evil mayor must go out of his possition !!!!!
Cruelty, lies, ignorence…. not the right person to be a mayor
stop!!!!!!!!
Why does this not surprise me? Mayors, politicians etc all just say what the public want to hear. The truth of the matter is they are lazy good for nothing f***ers
Shame on them all
Keep up the pressure people, don’t back down until they are FORCED to change
SHAME:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::for YOU
I,m with you all the way go for it enough is enough he has had plenty of time to sort this out and has done nothing about it , its time to take action
A TOTAL DISGRACE AND EMPTY PROMISES! ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS AND THE ACTIONS TAKEN HERE ARE NIL ! SUCH A LOAD OF CRAP AND INSULTING THE INTELLIGENCE OF THE PUBLIC . THSE ANIMALS ARE TO BE CARED FOR NOT USED ABUSED AND NEGLECTED.
Keep SHOUTING! Dont stop these monsters need to wake up to what they are doing! Put the pressure on FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT! Good Luck People!
One can not expect that a man that he has no honor. They have no human values, why even imagine that they would care about animals. They are so far back in the intelligence that the Neanderthal were smarter.
if i had my time with him i would put him in a cage and see how he likes it ok. There is no need to abuse the animal. Dogs and cats give a lot of unconditional love. Love, pam
Its shame Im a muslem 🙁
All I can say is the last picture told the whole story. This has got to change for the animals sake. No animal should go through this. THEY DESERVE BETTER. Please get your act together and HELP THEM. You should all be ashamed that this happens.
This is so typical, these people think their positions of power exempt them from any retribution! I don,t know what measures you have taken already so if you have already tried this ok! I suggest bombarding his offices, the offices of other mayors and people in high places of goverment in every Turkish city, with photoghraphs of the atrocities committed in the Hasdal shelter. Shame shame and more shame!!!!!!
i do believe Mr. Topbas and Mr. Sarac time to keep your promises. You can put that phony grin away, it is as empty as your promises. What does it do for you Mr. Topbas, to kill innocent beings and in such a horrific way. Do you feel the power over a helpless being!!!! I am so sorry to have to include your names in the human race, as animals have so much compassion (a word you are not familiar with)!!!! I do believe you, someday, and all your henchmen will know what it feels like to be on the receiving end of this cruelty, then we will see who has pity for you!!!!!!!!!!! You people are the devils spawn and the sooner you leave this earth the better off animals will be. So take your phony grin off your faces, it is time to turn the tables!!!!!
Why would we imagine anyone in power that associates in the same office as he would’t be the same.. we have the same in the states.. the people cannot back down..u have our support change ur government … we are trying also… stand united…stand as one…we can win..we can change !!!! we are one…..!!!!!!
Its a disgrace how these poor animals are treated, animal abusers all of them, the people cannot back down. you have our support change your government stand united
I cannot understand why the mayor would make all these promises to change the shelter and then completely ignore them, knowing he would be called to account at some time in the future. Clearly there are strong political forces at work here – namely to keep some dam fool (i.e. Mr. Gencdal) in a job, he is clearly not competent to do.
They should all hang their heads in shame at the suffering inflicted on innocent animals – and the embarrassment they have heaped on their fellow countrymen – and their own sheer breathtaking incompetence. Seems to me this matter really needs to go to national government level if that is possible. No good arguing the toss with a lot of idiots in the municipality.
In the meantime you have many supporters and we will continue to do all you ask of us to show that support.
Because he is a politician…
That’s what politicians with a short term vision do.
I hope that the Turkish people will stand up and end this situation. Because these cowards represent Turkey and all what it stands for. At this moment, it is very bad. These wonderfull animals deserve alott of love and attention. If the Turkish people love animals, than they put the right people in power. If they hate dogs…..well, than they represent the same as those cowards………Disgrace and Evil.
It is up to the Turkish people now. Are you killers or are you Angels.
Kadir Topbas and his officials are killers and suppoters of sadistic killing innocent animals. and should be sent to jail forever.
Animals also have rights!
Please help them!
Turkey need a new demo. Stronger than before..!
Lying is a typical politican syndrome especially in Turkey. The truth is Turkish people don’t mind to be deceived as much as you would expect. When any government corruption is revealed, the common reaction is like “This government is ripping us alive! Damn!…What is for dinner by the way?”
I agree with Stanka Koleva. Demostrations must keep going until they make serious changes. Easier said than done but Turkish people should be kept awake about this issue “physically”. It should be on tv again and again. Kadir Topbas will eventually realize you guys won’t give up.
Bastards!!! False promises once again!!! What the hell is it going to take to get someone to see the truth behind their lies and act upon it. The last photo just sickens me :-((
Animals also have rights!
Please help them!
KADIR TOPBAS: your a big bastard!!!! fuck you monster!!!!
How the hell can they get away with all this fucking corruption? is not just words that say that those so called shelters are no good,there’s video and photo evidence,there has been public demonstrations against this terrible massacre and those cunts are continually getting away with it,what more can we do? I think we have gone to soft on those bastards is time or the kill,and if it is of those cunts I will happily help you and piss on the bastards after.
(Excuse my swearing but I am really pissed off,there’s no need for so much pain)
people like them don’t keep promises….they just talk bullshit.!!!
As i tell my kids once you tell a lie its very hard for people to believe anything you have to say.To add to that is once a lie has been told, it has to be followed up with numerous lies to make that lie, if you will… believeble. I am presuming that all the people concerned with Mr. Topbas and he himself have got a possible ounce of intelligence amongst them??? if thats at all possibly so why would they not be able to comprehend that everything they say and do is under the spotlight. They can no longer duck & dive, lie, place the blame elsewhere…Everything they do they will be held accountable for. Lets Adopt bought it all to light. Their supporters shared it with friends & family and now they have shared it with the world…so many people so many countries.WAKE UP MR TOPBAS AND SIDEKICKS INCOR…. EVERYBODY IS WISE TO THE LIES & GAMES YOU PLAY…
Quelle atrocité…
C’est déplorable de voir que l’homme puisse être si cruel.
I wish I was there in Turkey to join the fight. When I see those pictures, I feel like my hands are tied since I reside in another hemisphere.
they only make promises to get a better image. animals have no rights there. they just tell you thing you want to hear. nothing happens until the people (turkish citizens) stand up and fight for the animals.
and they call themselves as muslims… shame on you.
Talk is cheap….as we have all seen….its time TO “GO POSTAL” ON THESE LOWLIFE MISERABLE PEOPLE, THAT DO NOT DESERVE TO WALK THE SAME PLANET AS US COMPASSSIONATE HUMANS…….AN “EYE FOR AN EYE”………you try to be diplomatic, but they do not understand compassion and DIPLOMACY…..they are sick, EVIL, inhumane, and greedy…they only understand VIOLENCE….and they should suffer VIOLENCE from the people, as retribution for their evil ways………..
If Kadir Topbas doesn’t think change can happen maybe he should take a look at Egypt. I mean now really would he like to be ousted like their leader? Stop lying to the people!!! Stop touching that dog!! You are a phony!!! You allow your so called vets to practice and that’s what they do butcher practice, on the very animals you said you would protect!! You are a LIAR!!! You’ve been trying to fool the people for 4 years!!! You are not a member of the human race, because you have no compassion!! You should be shutting those vets? down immediately. That is not what they were trained to do. I don’t believe the vets you’ve hired have even gone to school. If other shelters in your country can run just fine, then WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE??? GET FU#KIN’ REAL!!! Get rid of the butchers!! The whole world is watching!!!
It is time Topbas!!! It is time to step down and let somebody else be in charge of the shelters and the care of the stray dogs. You only have henchmen who follow you. The rest of the world is disgusted with you!!!! You make promises then renig on the promises!!!! But you figure it’s okay since you have always gotten away with it, but not anymore, the world is aware, the media is aware, and THE EYES OF THE WORLD ARE WATCHING!!! You can’t cover up what is on video, it is real and the animals are not actors, they are in real pain, but you don’t care. WELL TOPBAS, THERE ARE MILLIONS IN THE WORLD WHO DO CARE!!!!!! You can’t make anymore promises and then turn right around and break them!!!! Not anymore!!!!! There are many ways to solve the stray problem and it is not with the brutality you and your henchmen do!!!! Now we have all the proof we need we can go to the top and get this taken care of properly!!!!!!!