The Solution is always sought elsewhere

The shelter is full. Just like ours. And what do we hear?“They should just open a new shelter.”As if a shelter is an endless stretch that can be expanded indefinitely.

But the responsibility is rarely sought within themselves.Not by the people who never had their dogs neutered.Not by those who just set puppies loose.Not by those who see feeding and care as luxuries rather than necessities.

As long as that attitude doesn’t change, the dogs will keep coming.And as long as no one else does it, we will continue to care for what’s left.

This goes against all forms of humanity – and certainly against what our faith teaches us.Our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:“Whoever is merciful to what lives on earth will receive mercy from the One in the heavens.”(Hadith – Tirmidhi)

Care for animals in Islam is not a choice but an obligation. There are countless sayings where the Prophet explains how important it is to treat animals well – even a woman who let her cat starve was condemned for it. And a man who gave water to a thirsty dog was forgiven by Allah.

How can people who claim to believe in God then be indifferent to these animals?

Not pallets. Not objects. Living beings.

Sometimes it seems that people think you can just move dogs around like objects. Just put them together, and done. As if they’re items on pallets. But dogs are not objects. They have feelings, traumas, and boundaries – just like humans.

We’ve seen it happen more than once: too many dogs in too small a space, with no structure, no guidance. And the result? Stress, conflict, injuries. It’s not a solution; it’s neglect with a neater wrapping.

You can’t put ten people in a small room and expect everything to go well. That’s the same for dogs. Especially when they all carry their own burdens.

What we do here isn’t perfect. But it’s thoughtful. We pay attention to behavior, to the dynamics between them, to recovery. And that takes time – it’s not a rushed job but a learning process. With heart, with head, and trying every day.

When vigilance is misunderstood

We see it often with the dogs: they’re not aggressive, but they are protecting what feels safe to them. When people come too close, stand at the gate, or provoke the dogs, they start with warning signals. They growl first, then bark, and if those warnings aren’t heeded, they show their teeth. This is not an attack, but a way of saying: “Keep your distance, unless my owner invites you to enter this territory.”

The dog always starts with subtle signals. If you ignore them, the barking will increase and eventually the dog will show its teeth. This is their natural way of communicating: “Stay out of my space.” But once this warning is ignored, or the dog is provoked further, the situation can escalate.

Just like soldiers protect their land, the dog does the same for its territory and owner. Until the owner shows up, everything is okay again for the dog. The dog seeks its comfort and safety with its owner. The problem is, however, that many people think they have the right to dominate the dog because they are afraid. How should the dogs feel when they are not understood? They don’t want to delve into their behavior, but expect to have respect from the dog. They want respect from the dog but don’t give it back by listening to their warnings.

We want to collaborate – Really

Let this be clear: we want to think together. We’re open to conversations, to discussions with residents, the municipality, the police, or Jandarma. We know that living together takes effort, especially in a village like ours.

But that also requires honesty. And sincere intentions.

We are not helped by petitions that exclude us without consultation. Not by attempts to gather ‘evidence’ without context or dialogue. Not by the idea that the dogs are ‘the problem’ – when in reality, they are the result of years of inaction.

A Confrontation and what followed

The other day, there was a brief confrontation between a local resident and my sister. The next day, the Jandarma (military police) showed up at our gate. Not because of an incident, but as a response. And today we heard that some residents are collecting signatures against our work. That is painful.

At moments like these, your support is invaluable. Thanks to people like you, we can continue to care for the dogs that would otherwise be abandoned. Your donation allows us to keep building – literally and figuratively – a place where dogs can grow up safe, healthy, and loved.

We Remain – But not with blinders on

As we wrote earlier: we choose to be here. Not because it’s easy. Not because we’re stubborn.But because the dogs that live here have no one else.

At the same time, we do want to find a way to do this together. For the dogs. For us. For the village. We therefore ask for no silence, no free passage, no special rights – just the space to continue caring. As long as that happens with heart and head, it should be possible. Right?

We remain approachable. We remain learning. We remain trying.But we will not be broken.

Thanks to everyone who continues to look at the whole picture –and not just at the sound of a bark.