Love Knows No Borders - Turkey

Some have been asking about the story on the "Turkey Dogs". For hundreds of years, homeless dogs have been a part of the Turkish environment. Estimates for the number of homeless dogs roaming the streets and in the shelters of Istanbul vary greatly from 70,000 to 150,000.

Once considered a status symbol by the wealthy in Turkey, Golden Retrievers have become more common and less valued. As a result, hundreds end up being released onto the streets dodging traffic and begging for scraps. Some strays are lucky enough to find a place like store fronts where a store owner takes mercy on them, but with few shelters available, dogs of this good-natured breed frequently starve to death or become prey to the thousands of feral dog packs in the forests around the city. Life is very hard for these mostly young Golden Retrievers. Very few live to be senior Goldens in Turkey.

A concerned American living in Istanbul saw these beautiful Goldens roaming the streets and contacted Adopt-A-Golden Atlanta asking for help. That became the beginning of operation Turkey Dog. The first 36 Goldens set foot on American soil in May 2015. Before leaving Turkey, all of the dogs receive medical exams and health certificates. Upon arrival, rescue groups bring them to their home locations where the dogs are again vetted.

To date, over 30 Golden Retriever Rescue groups from across the US and Canada have teamed together to bring over 1,500 Goldens to a better life in North America. The dogs that have been brought over to America and Canada are thriving!