Tugay Abukan and Burcu Yuksel are two animal-loving Turks. They chose to settle in a forest known to be a place where many owners abandon their dogs. There, they feed the poor animals to help them survive. But when severe weather shook the country, the Turkish couple did not hesitate to go even further in their approach.
Heavy snowfalls hit the country
The events took place in January 2022. The Turkeyjust like its neighbor the Greece, suffered heavy snowfall, which crippled the country’s economy. Airports were closed, roads blocked, and power outages occurred. But the very cold temperatures have also affected stray dogs and cats. And in Turkey, unfortunately there are many of them. They are estimated at between 400,000 and 600,000 in the capital alone, Istanbul.
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Tugay and Burcu have been rescuing stray dogs for 13 years
It’s been 13 years since tugay and burcu have chosen to settle in the forest and help stray dogs. tugay is nicknamed “angel of the forest”. His mission is important, since he notices that the abandoned animals are more and more numerous. “When we are asked why we live in the forest, we answer “for children (dogs)”“, told tugayin words reported by Subway.
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The couple sheltered more than 60 dogs in their home
When bad weather hit the Turkey, the couple could not imagine abandoning their little proteges to their sad fate. The cold was too violent and the snowfall dangerous.
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From then on, they did not hesitate to open the doors of their house, and to let their canine friends enter. They fed and sheltered them throughout the duration of climatic events. This gesture was in a way the culmination of the work carried out for 13 years.
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