The Animals of Istanbul

Cats and dogs share the streets in and around Istanbul with the bipedal residents. They are everywhere and seem, for the most part, fairly well looked-after. Most of the dogs have large (too large, IMHO) tags in one ear. The way it was explained to us is that Muslims are not allowed to keep pets in the house, as animals are unclean and therefore living with them would make it impossible for people to pray. So, these street creatures are their pets. Of course, the cats, being a little more self-reliant and not pack animals, look to be happier with their situation than the dogs. Everyone looks after them and feeds them. Some who live in houses with yards have their own pets, as it's alright to have animals as long as they're not in the house: http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2012/1031/Istanbul-residents-rally-around-their-beloved-stray-dogs