Experts state that all animals are born equal and have the right to life according to laws, emphasizing that microchipping is very important for identifying the owner, easily finding the animal if lost, and tracking vaccinations. Veterinarian Burcu Çevreli stresses that when adopting an animal, one must be able to take on its responsibility, provide suitable living conditions, and meet its physical and emotional needs.
Why are microchips important for animals?
Veterinarian Burcu Çevreli, Laboratory Manager of the Medical Directorate at Üsküdar University, shared important points to consider when feeding stray animals.
Dogs were the first animals domesticated in history
Veterinarian Burcu Çevreli, stating that when looking at the history of domestic animals, dogs are considered the first domesticated animal species, said, “However, exactly when, why, and how domestication occurred is still debated. Archaeological evidence suggests that dogs first became distinguishable from wolves about 14,000 years ago. We can also say that domestic cats are one of the most popular pets worldwide. Despite this, very little is known about the domestication of cats. Early evidence of the human-cat relationship comes from a wild cat buried next to a human in Cyprus 9,500 years ago, while the oldest domestic cats appear in Egyptian art dating back only 4,000 years.”
Microchipping pets is of great importance
Veterinarian Burcu Çevreli, emphasizing that all animals are born equal and have the right to life within the framework of legal provisions, said, “According to the Animal Protection Law No. 5199, the definition of a pet refers to our domestic friends kept for special interest and companionship at home, workplaces, or on land, whose care and responsibility are undertaken by their owners, and who receive vaccinations and periodic health checks. Microchipping them is crucial for the relevant ministry to track that we are the owners of the animals under our responsibility, for them to be easily found if lost, and for the traceability of their vaccination, surgical, and treatment histories.”
What questions should we ask ourselves before adopting?
Veterinarian Burcu Çevreli, reminding that our adopted mute friends are also a part of our living space, said, “Showing sacrifice when necessary, patiently teaching them our rules of life, sharing our love, and knowing that every living being needs attention are among the qualities required for those adopting animals. There are important considerations when adopting an animal. If the answer to questions such as ‘Can I take responsibility for this creature? Do I have a suitable living space for it? Can I meet its physical and emotional needs? Do other family members at home want to adopt a new friend? Am I ready to be by the adopted creature’s side during its infancy, childhood, adulthood, and old age?’ is ‘yes’, then this means we can truly gain a friend, not just a temporary hobby.”
One should be selective when putting animals up for adoption
Veterinarian Burcu Çevreli emphasized that one should be selective when choosing people to adopt animals, and concluded her words as follows:
“Has the person had a pet before? Is the person knowledgeable about its needs? Does the person want to be a housemate with such beautiful and special creatures and create memories with them? Does the prospective adopter have any known allergic diseases to animals? Is there another pet at home? Will it be able to adapt to the new creature? Can I take preventive measures against potential harm and nuisance that adopted animals might cause to the environment? Can I perform regular health checks? Receiving positive answers to these questions and being able to maintain communication for follow-up should constitute the adoption criteria. Millions of stray animals are struggling for survival in the streets or shelters across Turkey and around the world. Do not buy such special and magnificent creatures; adopt them and do not abandon them!”