10/16/2026
I don’t even know where to begin.
This morning, I woke up to the best news after two weeks of absolute agony, helplessness, and heartbreak. Our girl, Zeytin, is finally safe. ❤️
For those who don’t know, Turkey is in the midst of a devastating animal welfare crisis. Dogs are being rounded up from the streets, taken from the only homes and communities they have ever known, and placed in overcrowded shelters. Many of these facilities lack the space, funding, food, and basic resources necessary to care for them. Reports of starvation, horrific living conditions, abuse, and inhumane killings are heartbreaking. For countless dogs, being taken to a shelter is not a rescue. It can be a death sentence.
Two weeks ago, I learned that Zeytin, a sweet dog who has been part of our summer home community in Turkey, had been taken from the place she knew as home and placed in one of these shelters.
I was devastated.
Thousands of miles away, I felt utterly helpless. I spent the next two weeks desperately reaching out to anyone and everyone I could think of, trying to find someone who could help bring her to safety. So many people wanted to help but simply couldn’t.
And then there was Emre and his incredible team at HEPAD.
Without hesitation, they stepped in.
They were FIVE HOURS away from where Zeytin was being held. They had their own responsibilities, countless other animals depending on them, and limited resources. But none of that stopped them.
They didn’t ask for money. They didn’t ask what was in it for them. They didn’t make promises they couldn’t keep.
They simply showed up.
And this morning, I woke up to the news I had been praying for.
Zeytin was out. She was safe. She had been rescued.
I cannot begin to describe the relief and gratitude I feel.
But this post is about so much more than Zeytin.
It’s about the extraordinary people at HEPAD, an animal rescue organization in Turkey that continues to fight for animals in a situation where the odds are overwhelmingly stacked against them.
They travel across the country to rescue animals from neglect, abuse, natural disasters, wildfires, earthquakes, and unimaginable suffering. When animals have no one else, HEPAD shows up.
And here’s what makes their work even more remarkable: they often don’t have the financial resources to do everything that needs to be done. But rather than turn their backs, they take on debt, stretch every resource they have, and find a way.
I have personally visited HEPAD. I have walked their grounds and seen their work with my own eyes.
There is nothing luxurious about it. No fancy facilities or impressive buildings. Just a beautiful piece of farmland with fences, kennels, and people working tirelessly to give vulnerable animals a chance at life. Dogs, cats, farm animals, and so many others who would otherwise have nowhere to go.
What they lack in financial resources, they make up for in compassion, dedication, and an extraordinary willingness to act.
But compassion alone cannot buy food, pay veterinary bills, provide shelter, or fund rescues.
They desperately need our help.
So I’m asking from the bottom of my heart: If you love animals, if you believe that their lives matter, and if you want to know that your donation is going directly toward making a real difference, please consider supporting HEPAD.
Whether it’s $5, $20, $100, or whatever you can spare, every single donation matters.
I can personally attest to the incredible work this organization does. I’ve seen it. And now, thanks to them, a dog I love is alive and safe.
There are so many more just like Zeytin who are still waiting for someone to show up for them.
Please help HEPAD continue to be that someone.
And to Emre and the entire HEPAD team: I will never forget what you did for Zeytin. You gave her a second chance, and you gave us a gift that no amount of money could ever repay.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you. ❤️🐾
Please donate, share this post, and help them save more lives.
Donate to HEPAD: https://fonzip.com/hepad/bagis-yap
Every life matters. Every act of kindness matters. And every donation can make a difference.
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