After volunteering to work with stray animals and finding it a worthy cause, Hülya Balcı has realized her ambitious dream: with a loan from her bank, she purchased land and founded “Patiköy,” a small village for stray dogs. Currently, Balcı is taking care of 36 dogs and wants to rescue more once the “village” is completed to cover all the needs of the dogs. Before moving to the rural area, Balcı was living in a house in the city center with central heating and all the things that modern life offers but for the sake of the strays, she moved to the farm which has nothing but a shipping container for Balcı to live in. “I work at Kastamonu State Hospital and travel 15 kilometers to my workplace every day. The farm had no electricity for six months until my friend offered to build us solar panels. We do not have water pumps, but the municipality fills our tanks whenever we need more,” said Balcı. Balcı takes care of dogs who need special care and love. Most of them were brutally abused, while others were abandoned because they were old. “I offer medical treatment as well. Some of the animals are badly injured, so we take them to big animal hospitals in Ankara,” Balcı said. Balcı and her dogs have a sweet relationship. The animal lover sees them as her children and when she returns back home from work, it is the biggest reunion you could ever witness. The dogs jump on Balcı's lap, and they spend at least half an hour playing. “I invite all animal lovers to become a part of our joy,” added Balcı.
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