It was Monday, it was raining in Istanbul, and a stray dog was walking alone through the streets of Beylikduzu with something in her mouth.
It was her newborn puppy, and it was dying of cold. The dog did not hesitate or stray from her path: she walked straight to the door of the Beylikdüzü Alfa Veteriner clinic, as if she knew exactly where to seek help. Technician Emir saw her approach and took the puppy from her mouth. It was so cold that at first they thought it was no longer breathing.
Using a needle, they detected a weak, almost imperceptible heartbeat. Veterinarian Baturalp Oğhan and his team administered adrenaline and used a hair dryer to restore warmth to the tiny animal. The puppy survived, and hours later it was reunited with a sibling that other people had brought in that same afternoon. According to the clinic’s co-founder, never before had an animal reached them on its own.