Officials in Turkey are helping to make sure stray animals aren't getting forgotten during the coronavirus pandemic, leaving food out for them on a regular basis so that they don't go hungry.
The Daily Sabah reports that the Interior Ministry issued a circular letter outlining plans to help homeless animals affected by the country's social distancing policies, having teamed up with local administrations to leave food at designated locations so that animals aren't starving.
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The ministry said: "Food and water will be left at the living environments of street animals such as parks and gardens and particularly animal shelters."
According to the Daily Sabah, caring for needy animals is part of Turkish culture and society, with strays vaccinated by vets in local municipalities.
However, many animals in the country are now receiving less food as the streets remain quiet, with locals continuing to stay at home to help stop the spread of coronavirus, which has currently killed 1,296 people at the time of writing.
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There have also been a total of 61,049 cases confirmed in the country.
While the social isolation measures may have left stray dogs and cats feeling hungrier than usual, there has at least been one apparent upside to the quieter streets, as many countries report improvements in air quality - including in India and China, two of the world's most polluted areas.
Last month, the European Space Agency released footage showing the decrease of air pollution over China as the country went into lockdown.
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The animation, based on data from the Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite, shows nitrogen dioxide emissions, which are produced by the burning of fossil fuels over China, between 20 December and 16 March.
Claus Zehner, the ESA mission manager, said nitrogen dioxide dropped by around 40 percent during the lockdown.
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The ESA said: "By combining satellite observations with detailed computer models of the atmosphere, their studies indicated a reduction of around 20-30 percent in surface particulate matter over large parts of China."
The ESA also explained that this was followed by an increase as people were allowed out again, saying: "The drop in concentrations in late January is visible, coinciding with the nationwide quarantine and from the beginning of March, the nitrogen dioxide levels have begun to increase."
Let's all bring some positivity, support and fun to anyone who might find themselves in isolation as a result of the coronavirus spread. Need some entertainment? Join Isolation Nation: https://www.facebook.com/groups/coronasupport/
Featured Image Credit: PA
Topics: World News, News, Turkey, Animals