Despite the stone because of Corona .. Istanbul do not forget pets

Khalil Mabrouk - Istanbul

The swarms of pigeons line up in front of the historic Blue Mosque in Istanbul's Aminonu Square, awaiting a feast for their late daily food, long waiting and stillness before the vulva arrives from the hands of a man wearing his mask from the Corona virus to spread in front of her handfuls of feed.

The Eminonu Square is known for the great spread of street animals such as cats and dogs, birds of sea treasures and the municipal bathroom that used to cover the mosque square located in front of the entrance to the Egyptian market, also known as the "closed market".

A pleasant ritual
The provision of fodder to the pigeons was one of the enjoyable habits that visitors of the region, including tourists, foreign residents, and Turks, accepted, until they became part of the traditions of visiting this historical aspect of Istanbul.

At the stairs of the mosque, a group of men seated with simple bowls selling granules of wheat to visitors who bought the small cup in one lira and did not skimp on offering what was in it to the courtyard bath, who in turn was familiar with this behavior.

A few meters away, a worker at a nearby fish store was attending a large box in which he emptied the remains of cleaning fish from heads, scales and entrails, and he was leaving him in the yard so that the seagulls fell on their day meal as if they were the showers of the sky waiting for the target.

Everything has
changed. The historical place has changed. Just as everything in the city has changed. You no longer hear the voices of the sellers here and do not see the magic of the goods. The tourists have gone and the square is empty of birds and Gulf fish. Everything here has made you feel different.

Only the man who was living from selling wheat to those who fed pigeons remained in the place, but today, after the outbreak of the Corona virus, he has come wearing his gloves and face masks to feed these semi-pet birds with his hands for fear of their death.

A few meters away from Aminono Square, a group of men gave some of their breakfast food to a few beautiful dogs who undisputedly took the street.

Someone told Al-Jazeera Net that he was happy because feeding the dogs is one of the few things that remain the same in his life after the spread of the deadly virus changed everything.

These conditions served the animals of the street, so they slept in the middle of the road, which became empty except with a few sables and cars, but the same conditions were forbidden by the auctioneer and the abundance of food in the animal-loving Turkish community.

Damage 
and the negative impact of street animals such as cats, dogs and birds is evident with most Turks entering a voluntary sanitary experiment for fear of infection with the new Corona virus.

Many of the citizens used to provide food and drink for these animals, but today, especially in the big cities, they find it difficult to find enough food and water for the citizens to stay in their homes.

The conditions of these creatures were further aggravated by the implementation of the curfew system for the second time in a row, which deprived these animals of a lot of people's sympathy for them.

However, the Turks, known for their love of pets and exaggerating their care, did not execute the means to deal with the new conditions in light of the quarantine in force in the country.

State measures
The Ministry of the Interior sent a new circular as part of the measures to combat the spread of Corona, in which it requested all provincial officials to take measures to prevent these animals from being left prey to hunger and thirst, with the necessity of sterilizing their places of life to avoid diseases or transfer them to those close to them.

The government obliges the municipal councils to take care of street animals, and their safety is considered part of the responsibilities of these councils according to a law issued in 2004.

Istanbul is one of the few cities whose municipalities operate the Veterinary Bus service, a mobile veterinary clinic whose employees work to save, treat and provide care for street animals.

Statistics indicate that during the year 2019, the Istanbul Municipality vaccinated and treated 130 thousand dogs and 165 thousand cats living on the streets.

The veterinary clinic distinguishes dogs that have been examined and received vaccinations by placing metal or plastic parts in their ears to know who is approaching them whether or not they are safe. The municipality also has four centers for care and rehabilitation of street animals.

Mohamed Murad Chalik, mayor of Beylikduzu in Istanbul, published pictures of the municipality employees as they spread food to street dogs, explaining that the municipality has allocated forty sites within its area to provide food for these animals.

They are in love with the 
fact that the Turkish society did not need someone to direct it towards these procedures, as many employees of commercial shops and restaurants provide leftovers for cats and dogs that are standing in front of their stores waiting for hospitality to fill some of their hunger, as others go out with their cars to inspect these animals and provide them with food.

Residents of the old neighborhoods of Istanbul are not lost from gathering sites for animals awaiting food. In the Fatih Mosque Square, donors still bring bone residue and chicken skins to be presented to hundreds of cats that protect the area.

One of the youths went every time and returned with large bags of leftover chicken that he collected from nearby slaughterhouses. Cats, gulls, and even dogs followed him, as if they knew and knew their food.

Charity on the animals
The young man, who preferred not to be identified, told Al-Jazeera Net that he gives charity to these animals with his effort, and he wants to keep his charity between him and God Almighty without anyone talking about them.

"I used to give food to these animals for separate days, and people who attended for prayer or for walks in the courtyard of the Al-Fatih Mosque divided their food for them, but now many people do not come here for fear of the Corona virus, so I dedicate these animals a daily effort."

He continued, "These animals do not know another place to go to seek food, and with time I weaved a clear relationship with me, they now know me well and as soon as I arrive at the mosque square comes from everywhere, and I am happy that I am looking for the pleasure of God through them."

When you live in Istanbul, you will not be surprised if you see a woman presenting leftovers of chicken and fish to a dog in the street at midnight, and you will not be surprised by a man leaving a store to empty a bag of dried animal food for cats or dogs waiting for her at the door of the shop.

And at the doors of shops and train stations there are hollow plastic boxes set by volunteer residents to house the neighborhood cats and dogs from rain and cold, and others put in front of them vessels that empty milk, water and sometimes food.