About Us

Last time you were on vacation in Turkey, have you noticed the numerous cats & dogs roaming the streets? Many of these dogs are purchased as puppies as birthday or New Year presents. Then, when they eventually grow up, with some excuse or another, they get abandoned on the streets. There, oftentimes, they get run over by a car, or they get teased & tortured, or they lie ailing in some corner and wait for a tragic death.

Islak Burunlar (Wet Noses) Animal Protection Society is a non-profit organization, founded in 2012 and registered in Turkey, dedicated to the mission of treating, protecting, spaying/neutering, rehabilitating and adopting out street cats & dogs. Most stray animals roaming the streets are suffering from hunger, disease, injury, old age, abuse and other heartbreaking ailments. To rescue them, we lead the following activities:

  • We take animals in need under protection in our shelter.
  • We provide nourishment, vaccination, veterinary treatment and psychological support to our sheltered animals, aiming for full rehabilitation.
  • We laboriously raise sucklings that have been abandoned.
  • We spay/neuter the animals that are under our care.
  • We adopt out our rehabilitated animals both nationally and internationally, to trustworthy families.
  • We cooperate with concerned parties for fully applying the letter and the spirit of animal protection laws, and we offer new suggestions around animal protection.
  • We improve the living conditions of nearby pets kept in bad conditions, by educating their owners on how to provide affordable, easy and prosperous lives for their pets, or by issuing legal warnings to their owners if needed.
  • We strive to make the love of animals take root in people’s souls, especially in children.
  • We collaborate with various people and organizations sharing the same goals.
  • We maintain our Facebook page and our own social network, for active community involvement.

Our long-term goals are:

  • To improve and extend our shelter structures.
  • To provide mobile veterinary service.
  • To establish a mange rehabilitation center.

Our activities rely on YOUR donations. With your ongoing support, our suffering dogs & cats will survive and thrive. They will lead decent lives as members of a healthy, happy community in our shelter, or they will spread joy to their new, loving families. As of 2019, we are sheltering and providing for more than 200 dogs, based on very limited resources in the face of rising expenses, so YOUR support is crucial: Every cent counts.

All donations, in their entirety, are spent towards the direct benefit of our animals. Our activities are completely transparent. You can contact us with any questions you might have.

Our organization is endorsed by:

Our two founders, Fatma Gülten and Zehra Gülten, are incredibly dedicated and self-sacrificing animal lovers who have rescued stray animals long before the founding of the Islak Burunlar Organization. Across the decades, their devotion, funding, love and experience, together with your heartfelt donations, have helped thousands of animals avoid a tragic fate, and lead happy, fulfilling lives with their new, caring owners. Below is the founders’ short bio:

Fatma Gülten

  • Majored in International Economics at the Economics Department of Dokuz Eylül University.
  • Worked in manager roles at Yaşar Holding, Çukurova Holding and Koç Holding.
  • Worked as an insurance expert for 12 years.
  • Retired.

Zehra Gülten

  • Worked at Etibank, Denizbank and Anadolu Bank.
  • Worked as Branch Manager at Anadolu Bank.
  • Retired.

Donate Now to build a better future for our animals in need.

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