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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Stray dogs are often considered a menace and a public health issue in the Kurdistan Region. Consequently many are abused or left to suffer with painful injuries and diseases. One organization in Erbil is trying to change perceptions of Kurdistan's canine friends and find them loving homes.
Paws of Kurdistan International, an Erbil based NGO, provides food, shelter and veterinary services to stray dogs. The work of its volunteers is not just aimed at rescuing abused and neglected animals, but also at keeping the public safe from potentially aggressive or diseased dogs.
Carrie Davis, who volunteers for the charity, shares her home with rescued strays in Erbil.
“I think dogs have had a very bad press here in Kurdistan – in the Middle East in general. But they are not nasty,” she told Rudaw.
“I’ve never met such sweet and lovely dogs as the dogs here in Kurdistan – the wild dogs especially. They’re beautiful.”
Davis has big ambitions for the organization.
“In Kurdistan there are a huge amount of stray dogs. There are thousands and thousands of them,” she said.
“Our aim is to get as many as we can and get them rehomed. And if they have mothers with them, we’re going to take the strays, we want to start a neutering and spaying program, similar to the one they did in Turkey which has been extremely successful, and we want to take them, have them neutered, spayed, and just make sure they don’t have any more puppies.”
To expand its work, however, Paws of Kurdistan needs local support.
“We’re actually looking for sponsors to give us land to build an actual rescue center on, where we can take the dogs, we can make them safe, and we can have them vaccinated. I have a small project myself where I’m going to bring vets from all over, from the UK, from Europe.”
The organization started its work in 2014 and has since helped and treated hundreds of animals, putting many of them up for adoption.
“We came to visit because we’re planning on adopting a puppy,” said Liza, who was visiting the sanctuary.
“I think by making people aware of what adopting a dog means and how to take care of dogs, and having groups like this that are taking in dogs and making sure they find good homes and taking care of them when they’re puppies, I think that’s really important,” she told Rudaw.
Paws of Kurdistan depends on volunteers.
“We welcome any volunteer who wants to come and work with us. Even if they have the least knowledge, we have an online program run by experienced people to give them pieces of advice on how to be a volunteer. If someone wants to adopt a dog or a cat, we are capable of training them,” Lazha, one of the Paws volunteers, told Rudaw.
Those looking to adopt a dog or simply learn more about the project are free to drop by and meet the volunteers and their furry residents.
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