Sibel Karabeyoglu finds out what “Let’s Adopt!” does, how it got started and how you can change an animal’s life.

Almost reaching its two-year mark, Turkey’s “Let’s Adopt!” is an animal welfare group administered by Viktor Larkhill. The group has come into existence by focusing on raising social awareness on the necessity for animal rights and prevention of animal abuse in Turkey. The strong network of members across Turkey, nationals and foreigners, volunteer their time to improving the lives of primarily dogs and cats who have been discounted by society and now live marginal existences on the streets, shelters, and in inhumane conditions. By working together, the group has created a fostering system, in which the animals who have been adopted, stay with a foster family in Istanbul or other parts of Turkey until they are ready for their new homes.

“Let’s Adopt!” also has achieved recognition as Turkey’s largest animal welfare Facebook based group. Spin offs now exist in the US, France, and Canada. We sat down with Mr. Larkhill and here's what we found out.

What inspired you to start the “Let’s Adopt!” group? A certain incident you witnessed, a furry friend who changed your life, or just an interest in bringing awareness to Turkey’s animal welfare issues?

On the 6th of January 2008 my old rescued blind terrier Simba, passed away on the operating table. She was being operated on for mammary tumors; cancer had spread. She had developed the disease because her previous “owner” did not neuter her. Instead they bred her. When Simba was 14 years old she was thrown out onto the streets, blind, left to fend for herself. During her years with me we went through incredibly powerful experiences and I am being truly honest when I tell you that she kept me going at times when I considered giving up. Upon her passing I decided to do something to help dogs like Simba, animals who had no chance. I didn’t know what, but I knew something had to be done.

Why did you choose Facebook to develop the organization? This is the main marketing medium (more so than the website) right?

“Let’s Adopt!” is not only about animals, it’s about people and change. “Let’s Adopt!” has completely changed the animal protection environment in Turkey. Before “Let’s Adopt!”  animal lovers in Turkey felt alone whilst watching events unfold around them. Municipalities engaging in criminal behavior and systematic lying, pet owners abandoning their animals on the streets, entire communities engaging in savage acts of animal cruelty... From seemingly out of nowhere arrived a group of single-minded individuals who were totally committed to changing the status quo. “Let’s Adopt!” offered animal lovers the possibility to connect with people like themselves.

What kind of animals does “Let’s Adopt!” take on? What are your criteria for admitting a dog/cat into the group and starting on its rehabilitation process?

We cannot save all of them. But we can teach our members how THEY can become rescuers, and then show others the way. Turkey has an obsession with breeds. People consider dogs as status symbols therefore, breeds are always in demand. Golden Retrievers and Huskies suffer what I call the “curse of beauty.” People buy them in pet shops, then get rid of them after a couple of months; or worse chain them and condemn them to a life of imprisonment. With this in mind, “Let’s Adopt!” focuses on the most difficult cases, such as blind, handicapped and old animals. If we can change the lives of those who simply have no chance and nobody wants, we may inspire people to do their best for their own animals and to educate others.

Adopting is a great way to help local animal populations and open your home to an animal that might not have a chance otherwise. How do you know that that adopted animal is taken care of properly, or not thrown back out onto the streets? Perhaps “Let’s Adopt!”  has certain requirements of those looking to adopt?

It is extremely difficult to find a good family in Turkey for adoption, but not impossible. “Let’s Adopt!” has the toughest adoption rules in the country, but at the same time the easiest. We have two basic rules to which we make no exception.

1.      The adopting family MUST have at least another animal.

2.      The animals MUST live inside the home, must be part of the

family. We don’t approve of animals kept in gardens. We make no exceptions to these rules and if we stick to these requirements, the chances of a successful adoption are as close to 100%.

What’s the worst case that you’ve seen so far? Feel free to be descriptive.

My friend, believe me, you don’t want me to do this. I’m afraid your editor would never publish it…

I’ve noticed that you also get involved with municipalities in and outside of Istanbul regarding their treatment of street animals. When did it go from small scale (dogs on the streets into homes) to large scale (protests and petitions)?

It is the other way around. The real challenge is societal change. Municipalities are just institutions that apply the will of the voters. If we manage to gather a large enough number of people and change the way the citizens look at companion animals then sooner or later municipalities will end up acting in a more humane way. The moment municipal officials realize that if they continue engaging in massacres and poisonings they will face a substantial loss of support, causing them to think twice before organizing other massacre.

What’s the largest issue with street animals in Istanbul? What do you see as a solution?

Society needs to review the way it perceives companion animals; from objects to sentient beings. The moment people realize and internalize the fact that dogs/cats etc. experience feelings much like ours, that they experience pain, sadness, loneliness, and fear things will start changing. The solution? Education. Education is at the core of every single problem solving strategy. We, animal welfare organizations, must continue putting pressure on the institutions and the people at large so that one by one, people become educated about animal issues, which, believe it or not, are closely linked to human issues. Today, thanks to the new technologies, ideas spread much faster than ever before, it is now much easier to educate large masses of people.
Mahatma Ghandi said: The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. So… look around you and tell me how much greatness you see.

How can people help out?

Best way to help out is to help the animals around you. Take care of the state of things around you, if we all do the same, the situation of animals will improve dramatically within the next few years. Join our movement, visit our blog: blog.myletsadopt.com and sign in. See what we do and how we do it and become a part of change.

Any last words?

Practice compassion, advocate compassion, teach your children compassion. Never buy from petshops. Never! Adopt an animal from a shelter or the street. 

How you can help

Shelters:

Europe

SHKD- Florya Caddesi no 27/B Senlikkoy. Tel: (0212) 580 7896

Yedikule- Yedikule Sahil Yolu, Surdibi, {the old Haragazi depot} Tel: (0212) 633 5857

Asia

Beykoz- Mahmut Sevket Pasa Koyu (10. km down this road}.

Uskudar- Hekimbasi Mevkii {next to Kati Atik Tesisleri} Tel: (0216) 630 2234

*Foster a dog or cat until it is ready to go to its permanent home.

*Don’t buy from petshops. Adopt from shelters and change an animal’s life forever.

Websites- blog.myletsadopt.com

http://letsadopt.wordpress.com/

Join the “Let’s Adopt!” Facebook group to get updates on the group’s progress and information on how you can help.