What happens to the animals on the streets when tourists disappear?

What happens to stray dogs and cats when tourists disappear?

Cem Arslan rode his electric scooter from the ferry terminal back to his home on Kinalıada Island, Istanbul. The distance was relatively short, but he couldn't bring himself to speed. Previously, perhaps the steepness of the mountain roads was the only reason he slowed down. But now, he drove as slowly as a snail, ensuring the safety of stray cats crossing the road, or to greet a pack of dogs he had become quite familiar with.

Istanbul, Turkey, is famous for its abundance of animals on the streets – especially cats. These cats are the main characters in documentaries, viral videos, Instagram superstars for many celebrities, and appear in almost every tourist photo. They roam outside butcher shops, fish stalls, and sidewalk cafes; pose in front of historical landmarks; and sleep among the counters of local shops. However, what tourists see firsthand is only a fraction of the reality, as the city's estimated stray cat population ranges from 400,000 to 600,000.

"When I first moved to Kınalıada, I saw so many stray cats and dogs wandering around looking for food in the winter," Arslan said. He established a rescue shelter, helping about 1,000 stray cats and 200 stray dogs. He himself also adopted a gentle dog and three adorable fluffy cats.

As a popular tourist destination, Kinalıada is bustling in the summer with around 30,000 visitors, while the rest of the year sees only about 300. If the weather is bad, ferry services may be cancelled, and if pets need veterinary care, there's absolutely no way to get them checked out, as the nearest veterinary service is on the mainland.

Over the past two years, many countries around the world have faced a dilemma: What will happen to stray dogs and cats roaming the streets when their essential food and care sources suddenly disappear? The Covid-19 pandemic forced major cities to shut down and brought tourism to a standstill. This not only disrupted human life but also caused hardship for tens of millions of animals on the streets. However, countries have more serious problems to address; they cannot focus solely on caring for dogs and cats, nor can they restore normal life overnight.

Cats wander aimlessly on the street.

Just like Istanbul, Montenegro's ancient town of Kotor is also famous for its feral cat population, even boasting a Cat Museum. Around the world, popular tourist destinations are often favored by animals, from traditional markets to ancient monuments, parks, scenic spots, and bustling cities. In these places, dogs and cats can find many safe places to rest and shelter. When tourism is affected, the impact of the absence of visitors on animal populations can be seen immediately.

April Lynn King, a volunteer and core member of Kotor Kitties – a charity that helps street animals in Montenegro – said: "Within days of the government ordering restaurants to close, almost all the trash cans that the cats and dogs usually rummage through for food were empty. People wrote to us, saying that the cats in their neighborhoods were whimpering with hunger."

The drop in tourism revenue has also indirectly affected animals. "For example, entire towns in Bali shut down because unemployed people were forced to return to their hometowns," said Katherine Polak, a veterinarian and Director of Wildlife Care in Southeast Asia at Four Paws International (a global animal welfare organization). Those who managed to stay struggled to care for their pets. The rate of abandoned pets has skyrocketed in many places due to economic hardship, as well as concerns about the potential spread of Covid-19 through animals.

The streets are teeming with animals, yet few people are chasing them away. This means they have more freedom and more opportunities to mate, leading to a surge in their numbers. Meanwhile, sterilization services and adoption support programs are constantly being suspended or restricted due to social distancing or tight budgets. At the same time, many domestic dogs and cats are forced to venture out in search of food, easily clashing with stray dogs and cats that have already claimed territory; encountering dangerous people; or getting into traffic accidents.

Cordelia Madden-Kanellopoulou, co-founder of Nine Lives Greece, a charity for cats in Greece, shared, "In Athens, the rate of cats dying from car accidents is skyrocketing because they are so hungry that they are willing to risk their lives crossing the road, and since traffic has decreased so much, there are no longer traffic jams that force drivers to slow down." She is also a volunteer caring for over 1,000 cats. "That's just a small fraction of the cats in the city," she said.

With tourists gone and people staying indoors, there's no one paying attention to injured dogs and cats on the streets anymore, and therefore no one is reporting them promptly to charities and rescue centers. Ahmet Ali Yağcı, the head veterinarian at the Animal Rescue Center in Istanbul, shared that his staff are receiving only half the number of reports of animals needing treatment compared to before the pandemic.

Contribute to Action

There are many ways for tourists to help these stray animals, even though Covid-19 is not yet gone. When the pandemic situation stabilizes and travel resumes, you can participate in special tours.Nine Lives GreeceThere are often tours to visit the cat colonies that rescue organizations have, plus walking tours to historical sites accompanied by cats. One of the most well-known activities supporting stray cats and dogs in Phuket (Thailand) is the trip byDog Watching Organization, taking visitors to animal rescue centers, along with activities such as playing with puppies.

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