Dr Doug:
I am active with the rescue group, Adopt A Golden Atlanta, that first brought the Golden Retrievers to this country from Turkey. The first group came to Atlanta May 9, 2015, and was at that time the largest international rescue of Golden Retrievers. The rescue was featured on news media world wide, and those feature stories can be found on You Tube. Adopt A Golden Atlanta shared the contacts and resources with other rescues throughout the United States and to date literally thousands of Golden Retrievers, and other breeds as well, have been brought to this country.
For centuries the street dogs of Turkey of been a part of the culture. They are not unloved, and people leave food out. Places to bed down are provided. Many merchants encourage the dogs in their establishments. Euthanasia is not practiced, and the unwanted street dogs (mostly from over population) are often relocated to the forests. Because of the acceptance of street dogs, people freely just abandon their dogs. Golden Retrievers were once very popular, but that popularity has waned, so that breed's prevalence is notable in the streets and abandoned dogs throughout Turkey. There are many non-governmental shelters in the country, but their standards are considerably different than in this country.
Most of the street dogs are very social, as they have learned how to get food from the merchants and residents. Dogs relocated to the forest compete for food and often have higher prey drive instincts as well as food aggression issues when adopted into homes. Many Turkish people drive to the forest just to feed the dogs. Golden Retrievers, because of their breed characteristics, do better as a street dog than a dog in the forests.
These dogs often do not have access to adequate or clean drinking water, and the occurrence of kidney disease seems higher than populations in this country. Heartworm disease is virtually non- existent in Turkey, but orthopedic injuries, both treated and untreated, is common, especially in the city street dogs. Being hit by a car seems to be the most common caused injury.
As a side note, before importation, the dogs must be quarantined, which is done in Turkey, usually in a shelter where they receive all required vaccinations. The dog's passport contains a record of all the shots, and a health certificate is issued prior to importation. Once landed on US soil, all dogs must be cleared by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and all records must be inspected and approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The choice for transportation is Cargolux airlines, who are specialists in live animal transport. The trip includes a flight from Istanbul to Luxembourg with a layover during which the airline facility is well equipped to properly care for the dogs and other animals as well. Then a flight from Luxembourg to the United States. Often, a dog will come with a string of small beads, a sign of good luck.
Here is a link to one news story:
https://www.dogster.com/lifestyle/abandoned-golden-retrievers-from-turkey-find-forever-homes-in-the-...
