Konya has effectively eliminated street animal problems through a cooperative shelter system, according to Umit Boru, head of the Konya Animal Protection Association.
The shelter currently houses roughly 1,200 dogs and 68 cats. Boru credited close coordination among the Konya Governor's office, the metropolitan municipality, and district municipalities for the program's success.
Animal care goes beyond basic feeding. Four veterinarians from Konya Municipality and Selcuk University's veterinary faculty jointly oversee the animals' health. The Governor's office and local municipalities rotate monthly responsibility for supplying 18 tons of dog food.
Additional support comes from private businesses, nonprofits, and the Konya 3rd Air Force Base, which donates leftover mess-hall meals to nursing mothers and newborn animals at the shelter.
Boru argued that the Konya approach, if adopted by other cities across Türkiye, could demonstrate that animal shelters can be well-run and humane facilities.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in April 2006, in its own words.