ARK Kusadasi

17/07/2025

Supporting the Kusadasi Animal Shelter

As ARK followers will be aware, ARK volunteers have supported the Kusadasi Animal Shelter on Kirazli Road for years. Each week a small team attend to supplement the work of the Shelter’s staff, with a particular focus on puppies, kittens and their mothers and all other cats that are in the Shelter. With regard to mothers, it’s sadly quite common for puppies and kittens to be orphaned, which presents additional challenges, particularly if they’re very young.

The volume of young animals reminds us all of the importance of neutering, to avoid a lifetime on the streets, or in a shelter ….

The team provide lots of home-cooked food as a welcome alternative to the customary dried food which the animals receive. Between tasks, the animals also receive lots of cuddles and attention, which they relish. A range of photographs from this week’s visit are attached ….

Incidentally, when we hear stories of the poor standard of some of the country’s animal shelters, the Kusadasi Shelter is certainly an exception. Despite the increasing number of animals in there - mainly due to changes in the law which prevent dogs being returned to the streets after being treated – the animals are well cared for by Fulya Akilli and the team. Also, there are plans to further extend and improve the Municipality’s animal welfare facilities, which are much-welcomed. However, every animal will ideally have a loving home, rather than being confined to a shelter. PLEASE consider adopting one of the animals in the Shelter; there are dogs and cats of all sizes and breeds (some pure breeds) and they can be health-checked before adoption.

The Shelter is open to visitors Monday to Saturday, 11 am to 12.30pm and 1.30 to 4pm.

Arktr.org

15/07/2025

Beautiful Pippa ❤️

During the Summer the number of requests for help which ARK receives increases substantially - mainly from people on holiday or from Kuşadası’s hotels.

One such request came from Caroline, who was staying at Batihan Resort. She and her daughter had been feeding a cat and her two growing kittens, though unlike the other cats in the hotel’s grounds they were generally to be found under a hedge in the busy hotel car park, rather than in a quieter location. This was a particular challenge as one of the kittens (which they named Pippa) clearly had serious eye problems and was extremely vulnerable. Life as a homeless cat is already difficult, but without sight is almost impossible!

We eventually managed to capture Pippa. On examination by Pandora Vets it emerged that she had a severe infection in both eyes. Her left eye had already been lost and despite intensive treatment it’s unlikely that the sight in her right eye will ever be more than minimal at best. Thankfully the infection is cleared and she’s ready to embark on the next stage of her life….

Could you give Pippa a loving home? She’s adorable - extremely loving and increasingly independent. She just needs someone to love her and to protect her ❤️

ARK can only help animals such as Pippa if we receıve donations. Every lira, euro, pound etc helps -enormously - ARKtr.org/donate

14/07/2025

An update on the lovely cat (now named Donna), who had a terrible experience due to being unable to give birth to her kittens …
As arranged with Fred and Jan, who kindly adopted her, after she had healed ARK arranged for her to be neutered. No more babies for her and a lovely home to live in. Lucky cat! ❤️

14/07/2025

Spending some time with these lovely animals is so rewarding and makes a world of difference to their lives. They receive minimal human contact once they’re in the Shelter …
Please remember that there are so many cats and dogs of all ages, breeds and sizes who are desperate for a loving home 🙏🐾

Arriving at the animal shelter I was greeted as usual by the regular dogs that are lucky enough to roam free

13/07/2025

🐾🐾🐾🐾

Unbelievable, but it’s emerged that the slaughter of cats and dogs has started in Morocco in preparation for the next World Cup! Please see the link to PETA UK, who are petitioning FIFA to intervene in this atrocity 🙏

11/07/2025

Dogs can get heat-related illnesses from exercising in hot weather. Learn how to keep your dog safe from overheating and heatstroke.

11/07/2025

Thank you!

A big thanks to Serkan & Ibo at the lovely, friendly Dent Bar & Bistro for hosting yesterday’s table-top sale. The total donations we received in respect of clothes and other goods which people had kindly donated to ARK amounted to 10,350 tl, which will help us to help more of the street animals who desperately need our care 💕🐾

Watch this space for details of next month’s event!

Arktr.org

11/07/2025

It All Started with One Application 🐾✈️

When Liam Gallagher filled out a simple adoption form for a rescue dog in Thailand… no one quite believed it.

Even the rescuer, Niall Harbison at Happy Doggo Sanctuary in Koh Samui, thought it was a prank. But it wasn’t. It was real. And it changed everything.

💛 That dog was Buttons. A five-month-old pup abandoned in the Thai jungle, injured, alone, and terrified. She was rescued, nursed back to health, and cared for with love. But like so many others, she needed a forever home.

And Liam, one of the biggest rock stars in the world said yes.

He took the first step.
He filled in a form.
He made the call.
He opened his heart.

Now, Buttons lives over 6,000 miles away from the jungle she was left in, safe and loved.

She even jogs with Liam, travels with him, and was honoured on stage during this year’s Oasis reunion gigs. 🖤

But this story isn’t about fame.

It’s about what happens when one person takes action.

When someone sees a scared, broken soul and decides they deserve more.

We always say it…… it only takes ONE.
One step. One form. One act of kindness.
And a life is changed forever.

Well done, Liam. You didn’t just adopt a dog you sent a message that rescue is rock and roll.

04/07/2025

Could you help ‘Big Boy’?

Those of you who read the post about the rottwieler which was dumped in a residential area in İkiçeşmelik will no doubt have been touched by his plight. The cause of his hesitation to put weight on one of his legs was a fracture which had healed without any treatment! Thankfully medication is helping enormously and his injury should be no problem if he has a quiet and calm life, filled with the love he deserves so much….
Despite his size and breed he is incredibly calm and affectionate to humans, as well as to other animals.
He’s no doubt had a tough life … the scar ın his ear shows that he was once in an animal shelter. I wonder if he was adopted and then cast out for being a gentle soul?!
Could you possibly give him a home?
If not, could you possibly contribute to his boarding costs?
In ARK it is always a challenge to generate enough income to offset our expenses. However, when we rescue an animal which we need to fund the boarding costs of, that is a particular challenge for us. We don’t have our own boarding facilitıes. The ARK volunteers take in as many animals as we can while they’re recuperating from treatment, or while we’re trying to find homes for them. However, dogs are obviously a particular challenge….
Also, Big Boy is not the only dog which we are currently boarding. He’s one of a number at the moment, therefore we’re feeling the strain.
We’d love to hear from you if you could help us to help Big Boy 🙏

Arktr.org

04/07/2025

Bag yourself a bargain!

Come along to the table-top sale at Dent Bar on Thursday 10 July. Lots of good quality items to choose from, with all the proceeds being donated to ARK 🐾🐾🐾🐾

Ps - the organic market is held on Thursdays, just down the road from Dent Bar. Why not come to the sale before or after your trip to the market?

03/07/2025

It’s great to report that a number of people have responded to the post and would like to help the ARK team. Thank you!
We’d love to hear from anyone else who’d like to discuss ways in which they could be involved.
Ps - the ARK team which was assisting at the Animal Shelter yesterday was particularly small - just 3 people - due to holidays and other commitments. However, it was a very productive day, with all cats, kittens, puppies and young dogs being given home-cooked food, as well as us helping with a range of other tasks to support the Shelter staff. Lots of cuddles were also given, which is clearly appreciated by the animals, who have minimal human contact. The three-legged German Shepherd who has been there for a year or so even got cooled down by Tracy!
We so wish we could have more interaction with them, such as grooming them and generally spending time with them, especially those which have just been brought in. Four dogs were admitted yesterday while we were there. All looked like pets who - for whatever reason - found themselves without a loving home. The nervousness of all was clear to see …. We could do a lot more if we had more help ….