We need help to continue rescuing dogs and cats

Today, I need to ask for your financial support.

My name is Sibel Akin. I have spent the last decade saving the abandoned, the voiceless, and the forgotten. It all started years ago during one of my family trips to Turkey. I saw a young, terrified female dog trying to survive on the streets, competing with packs of large stray dogs for scraps. Her eyes told me everything. I knew I couldn't look away… Her name is MOLLY and she is still living with us in Geneva, she is 15 years old

I created the organization Pets in Turkey, a Swiss non-profit organization that has been rescuing abandoned and abused animals in Turkey since 2017. Over the past few years, we’ve grown into a passionate team of volunteers, caregivers, and supporters across Europe and Turkey. Together, we’ve saved and rehomed over 800 dogs and cats—giving them a second chance at life.

Our Molly was the first. Since then, hundreds of dogs and cats have found their way to us—each with a heartbreaking story, each saved just in time. And with every pet we rehome, it feels like giving a second chance, a new beginning, a life they wouldn’t have otherwise known.

But right now, I can’t keep this promise alone. And this is where I need your help.

The Pain of Choosing Who Gets to Live

The last few months have been unbearable. Earlier this summer, Turkey passed a law that forces stray animals—no matter if they are healthy, vaccinated, or sterilized—into government “shelters.” These places are death camps, where starvation, neglect, and cruelty are the only certainties. I’ve visited these shelters many times since the law was passed, hoping to save lives. More often than not, I arrive too late. I’ve found bodies stuffed into plastic bags, dogs starved until they can no longer move, and others left to die in silence, forgotten by the world.

Despite limited resources, we’ve managed to rescue 25 dogs and 6 cats from these shelters since July. But every time we walk into a shelter, we are faced with a decision no one should have to make: we can only take a few.

We stand there, looking at dozens of innocent faces—some weak and sick, barely clinging to life, others wagging their tails, hoping for a miracle. And we have to choose. We have to decide who gets to live, and who I must leave behind.

Do I take the weakest, the one who will die first if left there? Or do I take the better-looking dog, who might have a higher chance of finding a home? Knowing that the ones I leave behind will be dead soon—it’s a pain I carry with me every single day.

This is the hardest part of rescue. And we can’t do it alone anymore. If you help us, we can save more.

We Need You to Be Their Hope

Right now, we have over 70 dogs and 10 cats under our care. Some have been with us for three years, waiting for the right family to find them. Others are recovering from injuries and infections. Each one needs food, shelter, and medical care. And the costs keep growing—boarding fees, food, transportation, and veterinary treatments.

We owe 25,000 euros to our clinic, and they’ve told us that until we settle this debt, they can’t take in any more animals. This means that the next time I walk into a shelter, I won’t even have the option to save one more life.

This is why I need your help today. If you can help us, we can rescue again tomorrow. Every donation—no matter the amount—makes a difference.

We Can’t Give Up Now

We’ve come so far together. Since 2017, Pets in Turkey has rescued over 800 dogs and cats, giving them new lives and loving homes across Europe. We’ve grown from a small effort into a trusted association, supported by families, animal lovers, and volunteers.

But now, we are at a breaking point. With rising costs and clinic debts, we can’t continue without support. And every day that passes without help means more lives lost—lives we could have saved if only we had the resources.

Please donate today. Your generosity will allow us to clear our clinic debt, care for the animals still waiting for homes, and rescue the ones still trapped in shelters.

Be Part of Their Rescue Story

Every animal we save is a second chance at life. A scared puppy finding his forever home. A sick cat finally feeling safe and warm. With your help, we can keep giving these animals the futures they deserve.

If you’ve ever felt the joy of a pet’s unconditional love, you know what a difference it makes. Now, imagine being the reason an animal survives—because you decided to help.

Please donate now. Be part of our story. Be the reason another life is saved. They need us now more than ever—and we can’t do it without you.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart—and from every animal we’ve saved, and every one still waiting for a chance.

Donate now. Help us save them. Give them hope.

Thank you.

Sibel Akin

Founder, Pets in Turkey

www.petsinturkey.org