Help our Swiss animal charity to save 45 dogs in Turkey

Eis Härz vier Pfötli (Swiss German for: one heart, four paws) is an animal charity founded in Switzerland in 2021, by a group a friends: Selin and her husband Metin, Arthur, Jsabella; Ruedi.

We run an animal shelter in Turkey, entirely dedicated to saving dogs who are at risk, or too old and sick to survive life on the streets. We were originally in Antalya (Southern Turkey) and have relocated two years ago to the outskirts of Istanbul. Ours is a no-kill shelter and we focus on helping elderly and difficult-to-adopt dogs, or dogs that are otherwise undergoing a period of stress or have been recently sick or injured.

While the foundation is in Switzerland, some of our members run the shelter in Turkey. Selin and her Husband, Metin (a local veterinarian) are always on site. We currently host 45 dogs on a farmland we rented.

This is where our fundraising appeal starts:

The rising cost of living in Turkey, especially for pet food and rent, is pushing us to our limits. Recently, the rent for our land and housing increased by 65%. Despite Selin's pension, Metin's salary, and some donations, we struggle every month to keep our shelter running. We are already doing everything ourselves – from caring for the animals to maintaining the facility – but our health no longer allows us to continue. If we keep going this way, we soon won’t be able to care for the animals that need us.

But there is hope: we have found a piece of land in Bulgaria that will allow us to secure a future for our shelter. With 12,000 square meters, it offers enough space for a new, safe home for our animals. The land is ideally located: no villages nearby, therefore no neighbors, but close enough to a small town where there is a great need for a shelter and an animal clinic. we have already fronted the cost of the land ($40,000 – a sum that in Turkey would barely cover 3 years of rent). We decided to purchase the land because it allows us to invest all our energies and future work knowing that this will be our place, forever dedicated to the well-being of all the dogs we can help.

The next step is naturally to fence the area, build new kennels and dog houses, and organize the safe transport of our animals from Turkey to Bulgaria; for this, we will need $60,000 (or 50.000 Swiss Franks).

With your help, we can make this dream a reality. Every contribution, no matter how big or small, brings us one step closer to our goal of creating a safe and loving home for hundreds of animals. These animals need us – and we need you! Thank you! Together, we can save lives and give animals in need a second chance.

Please help us make this new beginning possible and create a better future for the animals that depend on us.