Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality continues its efforts across the city to provide animals with healthier and safer living conditions in an environment closer to nature. As part of these efforts, Co-Mayor Serra Bucak inspected the Natural Living Area, which covers 195 decares and will have the capacity to accommodate approximately 15,000 animals once completed.

Dogs’ Health and Living Conditions Inspected on Site

During the inspection, Co-Mayor Bucak met with the specialist teams from the Department of Veterinary Services who are stationed at the site around the clock and received detailed information on the overall health and living conditions of the animals. Veterinary surgeons working at the facility reported that the 480 dogs currently housed there are fed fresh food twice a day and have access to clean water at all times.

The veterinary surgeons also provided information on the care and treatment procedures followed at the facility:

“When animals are first brought to the shelter, they are vaccinated against rabies and treated for internal and external parasites, and microchipped. Following neutering, they are transferred to the Natural Living Area. Treatment for internal and external parasites is repeated every three months, while rabies vaccinations are administered annually. In the event of a minor illness or injury, our veterinary surgeons on site provide immediate treatment. In serious cases or where orthopaedic surgery is required, animals are referred to Dicle University in cooperation with the University. Once their treatment has been completed, they are brought back to the Natural Living Area.”

Co-Mayor Bucak also spoke with staff working at the facility and called for the right to life of every animal under the Metropolitan Municipality’s care to be carefully protected and for care services to continue to be provided to the highest standards.

Inspection of Ongoing Construction Works

Co-Mayor Bucak then toured the sections of the facility that are still under construction and received information from teams from the Department of Public Works on the infrastructure and landscaping works. With work progressing rapidly on site, all construction and landscaping works are scheduled to be completed by the end of October, when the facility is expected to become fully operational.

Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality aims to meet the shelter, feeding and treatment needs of dogs across the city to modern standards while strengthening a model of local government that places animal rights at its core.

During the inspection, Co-Mayor Bucak was accompanied by Chief Executive Serdar Bakıroğlu, Deputy Chief Executive Özlem Tekin and the heads of the relevant departments.