Turkish man gives disabled animals chance to walk again

Bahar Ünlü – ISTANBUL

A man living in the southeastern province of Mardin’s Derik district has been making walkers and prosthetic limbs with his own means from various materials to help disabled animals walk again. 

There is no limit to the type of animal that Hasan Kızıl, 22, creates the artificial legs for, from domestic animals such as cats and dogs to non-domestic animals such as chickens. 

Kızıl’s creativity is very innovative that he has even made a replacement leg out of a hose for a one-legged eagle and prosthetic artificial legs out of cabinet wheels for a turtle with no rear legs. 

A dog Kızıl made prosthetic legs for can now run so fast that it can even chase cats. 

Kızıl said it is his passion to see disabled animals, left paralyzed or are unable to walk, to start walking again.

 “That moment is beautiful. Once they put them on [walkers made out of various materials], their whole center of gravity goes to the wheels. First they are scared of walking, but then in five minutes they start running,” he said. 

“I have since the past worked with technological gadgets; I’ve had many projects. I had once created heated shoes that warm up on their own made out of solar panels. I’ve had no education; it completely comes from within. Even when I was little I had treated wounded animals and took them to clinics and shelters,” Kızıl said.

“Up until now, I have sent prosthetic [limbs] to 200 beings from all over Turkey and two from abroad. I have been getting help from my vet friends in Istanbul and Mardin. I have been making [artificial limbs] for those that have no chance left to walk or are in an irremediable condition. Sometimes I use washing machine pieces, aluminum pipes and bike wheels; so every kind of material,” he added.

Kızıl also said he wants to develop bionic legs using biosensor technology with the help of engineers on the project, for which he already started certain initiations. 

“This [project] will be for animals that cannot use any of their four legs. I am aiming to control the [neurological] wages in the brain by issuing a command for hands and feet and thereby to lead these waves through a sensor [device] placed on their heads. This technology is used for humans but if I can get hold of the sensor it will be a first for the animals,” Kızıl added.

The 22-year-old has been preparing for university entrance exams this year after missing the application date for last year’s exam because he had to take an injured cat he found on the street to a vet. If he scores the right grade on the exam, Kızıl wants to study veterinary medicine.