Reuters reports that survivors in the quake-hit city of Kahramanmaras struggled to rescue their pets from the rubble after the disaster struck the region.
Reuters footage showed the owners luring their cats stuck in the collapsed buildings with food and toys as they stood by with cat carriers to take the animals to safety.
"I have been waiting here for days desperately. I cannot leave anywhere," said quake survivor Sahide Nurgul, whose two cats - one pregnant female and one male - were still waiting to be rescued from the damaged apartment.
In Hatay, members of the Animal Rights Federation (HAYTAP) set up makeshift shelters to treat injured animals and unite them with their families.
The animals whose treatments were completed were delivered to their owners, and those whose owners couldn't be found were taken to HAYTAP offices in Bursa for further medical checks or to be adopted.
"If one has a microchip, we are trying to reach the owners. We have already united many animals with their owners," HAYTAP volunteer and veterinary Zuhal Arslan told Reuters.
"For the strays and those without microchips, we send them to our shelter in Bursa and file a missing report."
Arslan also said HAYTAP was registering 50 rescued animals every day, including birds, rabbits, and chickens.
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