April 2020, Kuşadası:

I was alone in Aydın when quarantine was announced. My family, concerned at my being alone, sent a driver to take me to Bird’s Island Farm, on the hills of Kuşadası, to stay wth my grandson, Alican Ozbaş, his wife, Chantal, their two small sons and my daughter, Ceylan. I have been here ever since.

Bird Island Farm is a private animal sanctuary, a new project recently set up by two young women, Chantal Özbaş and Monica Özkaya, both of them animal lovers and both with Turkish husbands. The farm provides a safe, clean, healthy home for animals who have been mistreated and abandoned, for pets to be looked after while their owners travel, and a place to for people to find a pet to love.

In the early hours of the morning I have watched a horse, donkey and two goats being taken to a meadow of grass and spring flowers to graze, a three-legged dog enjoying his dinner, a sick dog being comforted and given medicine, and a rabbit with one ear up and one ear down nibbling salad in his cage.

Chantal and Monica work hard to maintain the well-being of the animals in their care, feeding, cleaning and exercising them, and organising visits to a veterinary clinic,.

As we take a step back to reflect or meditate on our way of life during this period of imposed social distancing, nature and animals seem to have come to the fore, and the work done by Chantal, Monica and other like-minded people seems all the more important and meaningful.

Your support, help and sponsorship is vital to enable this project to maintain its high standards of care and dedication to the welfare of animals who have suffered so much and been so badly abused by us humans. A worthy cause indeed, and one that will continue long after COVID 19 has passed, Bird Island Farm deserves your support.

So please donate. All money raised will be used solely used for the benefit of the animals, veterinary bills, maintenance and repairs to facilities, food and grooming. Please send donations to:

• Chantal Patricia Özbaş, Garanti Bankasi TR 69 0006 2000 3070 0006 6396 31 (swift TGBATRIS)
• Bank transfer to UBS Switzerland AG, Chantal Özbaş CH58 0023 0230 1310 01M1N
• www.paypal.com (chantalozbas@icloud.com)

For more information visit the Bird Island Farm website. News on the happenings at the sanctuary are regularly updated on Facebook and Instagram.
As for me, quarantine here has been a learning experience. I was brought up with dogs, now I have become a ‘Save mistreated animals lover’.

Keep safe and thank you. Kim Erkan.