Bilkent Animals’ Friends Club Visits Shelter
The Bilkent Animals' Friends Club (Hayvan Dostları Kulübü) has had a busy week. On November 27, 28 and 29, the organization had a stand open in front of A Building to collect cat and dog food, milk, medicine and carpets for an upcoming visit to an animal shelter. Club members provided information about shelter conditions and described the miserable situation of homeless animals; their fellow students and the Bilkent community responded generously by making donations. As a result, club members and other Bilkent students helping out at the stand collected over 300 kg of cat and dog food for animals at the shelter.
The shelter visit took place on December 2. Club members took the donations they had collected to a shelter in Gölbaşı owned by the Meliha Yılmaz Foundation. This foundation has sheltered over 3,000 homeless animals since 1997, with only 12 workers. "That's the main reason," say club members, referring to the limited resources of the shelter, "these animals need our help, love and care."
A large group, consisting of both students and faculty members, went to the shelter on Sunday. Bilkenters petted and fed the dogs -- both the animals and their human friends had a great time. Club members stated that the visit exceeded expectations in terms of the number of participants as well as the amount of dog food and other donations collected at the stand during the preceding week.