Posts by KAR

People often ask why do you do what you do ? – we couldn’t do it as it is so sad.

Yes, as we can all testify, there are sad times, some sad cases, some sad situations . But we all carry on trying to do the best that we can for the animals here in North Cyprus and those in our care.

The reason we carry on is because we “Care”,. Our center staff “Care”, our volunteers “Care”, our supporters “Care”, our clinic team “Care” , everyone involved in Team KAR “Cares”.

We all want happy endings and when we receive news from one of our adopted dogs or cats – it means the world to us.

So we were delighted to receive the following from Caroline….

“Margaret, Elaine and Kim

One month ago Wilf, a fluffy bundle of joy and happiness, arrived into our lives. He is currently thoroughly enjoying his first holiday staying in the most green countryside full of wild flowers on the Dorset coast – visiting Lulworth castle and bay, Durdle Door, Swanage, Studland, Lyme Regis, Cerne Abbas and Dorchester. He continues to take everything in his stride and loves us and our other dogs – Mouse and Alfred. They all play lovely together. He is really incredibly chilled and when talking to people on our walks/travels, who also fall in love with him, they are amazed that he has only been with us for a few weeks. He really is very special and was most definitely worth the wait. Big hugs from all of us here – especially Wilf xxx”

Last year Diane and Neil were visiting the TRNC for a short while. At their Catalkoy hotel were a couple of cats that they had seen and were very concerned about. They worried about what would happen to then once they returned home. They wondered if it would be possible to take them to the UK. The hotel put them in touch with KAR and the whole adoption/export process was discussed along with potential costs.

Diane and Neil then contacted Yasmin to talk about boarding for the cats during the process. After much discussion, number crunching and soul searching they decided that they could offer the younger cat (well still a kitten at the time) a home but they were not so sure about taking both of them.

Both cats were collected by Yasmin and taken to her cattery.

Diane and Neil decided – after long chats with Yasmin – that the older female cat, who was in good health and had been living at the hotel for some time, would be spayed and returned to the Hotel.

But the younger one would stay with Yasmin and then once everything was completed would travel to the UK to live with Diane and Neil.

Due to factors outside of anyone’s control Chilli’s time in the TRNC was extended. She waited patiently for her turn to come.

But at last it was her turn to travel.

She was finally re untied with Diane and Neil … AND there was a new baby in the family too !

As you can see it didn’t take Chilli long to settle down and “chill out”.

Happy Days Chilli x

” My roles over the years at KAR when I lived in North Cyprus were varied – puppy carer, centre administrator, meeter & greeter, office administrator & Facebook editor. So when I returned to the UK in 2018, there was really only one way I could continue to help KAR and that was with Facebook.

Social media is a great way of keeping our supporters up to date with happenings at the rescue centre and also appeals for help. This became particularly important during the Covid 19 pandemic in 2020 & 2021 as the centre was closed during lockdown and there were no tourists visiting North Cyprus. A usually reliable source of income via donations from holidaymakers and visitors to the centre literally stopped overnight. As KAR relies solely on donations from supporters, we needed to appeal to our followers for much needed funds to help us care for the 300 plus dogs and cats at the rescue centre. That’s where Facebook really helped – we put out an appeal for funds and our wonderful supporters came to our rescue!

Facebook has also helped us find homes for a number of our dogs (and some cats as well!) Elaine, the centre supervisor, sends me videos of pups and adult dogs looking for homes, I compile a story about each of them and post them on Facebook. We’ve had quite a bit of success with the videos and have homed a number of dogs both in North Cyprus and the UK. Dogs that might otherwise still be at the centre so that’s a great result.

Social media is of course a 24 hour medium and enquiries can come through at any time of the day or night. It can be an appeal for help with a litter of puppies or an enquiry about pet travel – both of these are referred to our office in Girne. Or may be someone just wants directions to Gladrags or the rescue centre – something I can easily answer from the UK! The strangest request I’ve had was from a lady with an urgent appeal for a dog needing help, in a village that I hadn’t heard of. On checking the location on Google and the lady’s profile, it transpired that the village and the dog were in South Africa! Not sure where in the world the lady thought North Cyprus was!! I quickly replied and suggested that she try and find a rescue organisation a bit nearer to where she lived!

We are grateful to all our followers on Facebook for their support and also for sharing our posts, so the name of Kyrenia Animal Rescue becomes known to more and more people. Please keep following! “

Holly and Willow stole the show recently when they arrived in the TRNC.

We (in conjunction with our colleagues in South Cyprus) had arranged their travel from the UK into TRNC via Larnaca.

It is very important to us , and for owners we feel, that we all keep in touch abut the various aspects of pets travel plans. This includes decisions on the best route, paperwork, process and the actual journey itself.

We kept in touch with David and Jackie throughout – including on the day that Holly and Willow arrived. , and during the TRNC entry process.

On arrival in the TRNC pets (and their paperwork) are checked by Customs officers and also by the Government Vet.

The inspecting Customs officer was a young lady who, when she saw them, cried out ” Ahhhhh Cucker Ispanyol Ahhhhh ” She seemed beside herself and tried to explain.

She had very sadly recently lost her own Cocker unexpectedly at the age of 11 years and Holly (the Roan coloured spaniel) reminded her very much of him. She was quite emotional. She asked if would be ok if she could show Holly to her Dad. Seeing as we were waiting for the Government Vet to come for his/her checks, and it was not going to delay us, we agreed that she could “Whatsapp him”.

Baba (Dad) soon appeared on screen and the look on his face, as he looked at Holly in her travel box was priceless – he was quite overcome.

The Customs officer (and her Dad) wanted to pass on their pleasure/thanks to David and Jackie for having such lovely dogs and to us for allowing them both to be able to see them.

She explained that it was too soon to think of taking on another dog as they were still “hurting” but seeing these 2 girls she was in no doubt that it would be another Cocker when the time was right – maybe a Golden next time.

A big thank you to Corinne, who raised 1,125tl for KAR at Saturday’s Woofstock. The dogs and cats at the rescue centre are delighted and so are we!!

” Back in 2007, the husband announced “lets live abroad, it will be good for our health” my first thought was has he taken leave of his senses? However the idea grew and the idea of living abroad was born.

Fast forward to 2013, we moved into our villa, our worldly goods arrived a week later. Retiring from a 32 year career in nursing, I now had the time to take up hobbies I wanted to do, but never had the time (or the inclination to be honest) to start. Joining a craft group made lovely new friends and new skills, but I wanted a little more, a chance purchase of Cyprus Today I read an advertisement asking for volunteers for a new shop for KAR, a phone call and a visit later saw me start my volunteering role at KAR (still work in the shop, love it!)

There’s only so much cleaning a woman can do in retirement (well in my case it is) KAR had put the call out for Meeters and Greeters at our rescue centre, it was for people who would show visitors around thus saving the staff from having to stop what they were doing to show visitors around. I like meeting people I’m quite chatty so after a discussion with the husband I asked to do a Tuesday morning at the centre, husband was golfing that morning so it would only be the cats home alone.

A Tuesday came and I set off, an introduction and a sheet informing me about KAR was read and I was ready to meet and greet. Summer time can be busy, as well as our regular dog walkers, we have our swallows and holiday makers come to have a look round. Social media and sites like Trip Advisor inform people that we exist and people are welcome to visit us.

I show people around, explain about our work, answer any questions they may have, it’s that simple! I’ve met some very nice people over the years and some of our visitors have fell in love with some of our dogs, in that they have adopted them and the dogs have a happy life in the UK and in Europe, even as far as Canada.

All was well, until Covid hit, places closed down, and obviously the centre closed to visitors, our shops closed and our income drastically reduced. I could not go to the centre until the restrictions eased. Currently our visitors are few and far between, but I still go to help, marigolds on I simply help with cleaning, 42 cat bowls, a large number of litter trays washed and ready for our kitties, I give the vet room the weekly clean and I will do what is needed, I’m not one to sit and twiddle my thumbs. I socialize our kittens, a task I love, and do not complain about doing…ever .

Coffee time is 10 am and everyone sits and chats, and we have a good team that work well together.

2022 should hopefully see return of our visitors/holidaymakers, they are sorely missed. So, if you fancy doing some volunteering, have 4 hours to spare would like to be amid people and happy barking dogs, and you like meeting people, then join us. Oh, and last but not least don’t wear your good clothes, our dogs do not recognize the difference between good clothing and clothing you don’t mind getting a little mucky.”

Back in 2013 we took in a littler of pups that had been abandoned in Girne. Pebbles was one of those pups. We don’t know (or understand) why Pebbles was never chosen for a home of her own. She was a happy friendly girl who loved to meet people.

As you are probably aware our Rescue Center is based in the mountains – amid lots of pine trees and conifers. In 2017 Pebbles was stung by one of the notorious ” Pine Processionary caterpillars”. They are so toxic – to humans and dogs alike – and just breathing in their hair can cause dramatic and serious health problems.

Poor Pebbles – her tongue was affected and she eventually had to have some of her tongue removed. However once she recovered she returned to her usual happy self and she was able to eat and drink fine.

Still no one offered her a home.

Then Jatta (who had previously adopted a dog from South Cyprus) contacted us from Finland. She was interested in adopting a dog from us.

We sent Jatta some info and photos about several of our dogs as well as the information on the process – and YAY – she chose Pebbles.

The adoption paperwork was all completed and Pebbles began her travel prep.

Then along came Co Vid and Pebbles travel plans were put on hold. Earlier this year Jatta had managed to arrange to fly over to collect Pebbles (soon to be Pippi) – alas at short notice her flight from Finland was cancelled. So Pebbles waited – happy with her friends up at KAR but wanting to go to her new home.

On Sunday it was finally “her ” time. Time to travel.

Jatta had visited her at the Center on Saturday and we arranged to take Pebbles to Ercan early on Sunday morning for her flight “home ” with Jatta.

After checking her in Kim said her KAR goodbyes.

Pebbles/Pippi is settling in well with Jatta and her family – she has even had a trip to the beauty parlour.

Happy Days Pebbles/Pippi xxx