Three's company
Interview by Melanie Dziengo
Photo courtesy of Orhan Kandemir and Ezgi Kilic
Meet 4.5-year old Mika, a Maltese Terrier mix who immediately brought a family of two, Ezgi Kilic and Orhan Gazi Kandemir, together, going against the “three’s a crowd” saying.
How did first you meet Mika and what made you decide to adopt her?
Ezgi: We decided to adopt a dog after we got married in 2017 and started to search for associations that helped homeless dogs find new parents (in Turkey). Finally, one of our friends connected us with a small local dog society. The founder takes some dogs from the shelters to her home for a week, observe their behaviours, and makes sure they are ready for adoption. She only gives the dogs to people who have a reference from a person who adopted them before (and took good care of the dog).
So, she sent us a picture of Mika, standing alone in the shelter, under a table (It still breaks my heart to think of that helpless and sad look in her eyes). Her eyes, her posture, the way she was licking her nose… We knew she was the one.
We went to the lady’s house - full of beautiful dogs and cats (which had been bought from pet shops and were forsaken after a few months, and there we saw Mika. She immediately jumped to the sofa and sat between us and laid there the entire time. And that is what she still does.
Photo courtesy of Orhan Kandemir and Ezgi Kilic
When did you bring her to Canada?
Orhan: When we were moving to Canada in 2019, she came with us on the same plane.
Ezgi: I was super stressed the whole flight worrying about Mika being carried in the cargo section. When I saw the news about poor puppies dying in the Ukrainian Airlines flight in the summer, I was furious. It is so sad to see people do not care about these dear souls’ lives, it is sometimes just mere luck that keeps them alive :(
What was the process like bringing her to Canada?
Orhan: Bringing a dog from Turkey to Canada is easy in terms of procedures. If your dog has all the necessary vaccines and an approval document stating that she is ready to fly, you are good to go.
Photo courtesy of Orhan Kandemir and Ezgi Kilic
When did you bring her to Canada?
Orhan: When we were moving to Canada in 2019, she came with us on the same plane.
Ezgi: I was super stressed the whole flight worrying about Mika being carried in the cargo section. When I saw the news about poor puppies dying in the Ukrainian Airlines flight in the summer, I was furious. It is so sad to see people do not care about these dear souls’ lives, it is sometimes just mere luck that keeps them alive :(
What was the process like bringing her to Canada?
Orhan: Bringing a dog from Turkey to Canada is easy in terms of procedures. If your dog has all the necessary vaccines and an approval document stating that she is ready to fly, you are good to go.
Photo courtesy of Orhan Kandemir and Ezgi Kilic
What was she like when you first brought her home? How was the adjustment period?
Orhan: Sadly she was beaten with a healing wound on her nose (by people or by other dogs, we still do not know), and had a fungi-like disease on her cheeks when she first came to us. She was very afraid, always hungry, with no trust in anyone. It was our first experience as dog parents, but Orhan had read everything there was about dogs beforehand so he knew what to do.
In a month she became more social, tail looking up, happily wagging. However, after her 12-hour flight to Canada, Mika lost her appetite for kibble for almost five months, even though all her other behaviours were fine.
Photo courtesy of Orhan Kandemir and Ezgi Kilic
What is she like now?
Orhan: She is a happy little snowball, loves laying around more than running around. Literally never barks.
Ezgi: Well she thinks she is human, that’s why. She also does not play with dogs, sits on the bench with us when we go to a dog park.
Orhan: Let’s not forget that Mika immediately pries with her nose when we cuddle or kiss each other.
Ezgi: Yes, if there is love, she has to be there! Family group hug!!
How does she enrich your life?
Ezgi: I LOVE HER SO MUCH! She is the link that connects us to nature. Having a connection with a non-human living being gives you a totally different perspective of the world. I love all other living beings more than before. And thanks to her, I started working on the environment and found the passion of my life.
Orhan: She is the source of peace and cuteness in our house. Especially during quarantine, I understood that a house without her would just be a boring corner.
What advice would you give someone who's thinking about adopting an animal abroad and bringing him/her to Canada?
Orhan: Make sure you are working with the right people. Sadly, there are bad people out there who are even trying to make money out of this situation.
Ezgi: But please do, please go ahead and ADOPT. They need your help and trust me, you need their help too - to make your life way better than before!