Thousands of demonstrators gathered in Istanbul on Sunday to voice their opposition to a new law that critics argue is leading to the widespread killing of stray dogs across Turkey.
The controversial legislation, approved last month, aims to address what the government describes as a “stray dog problem” by removing millions of stray dogs from Turkish streets. While the law cites safety concerns as its primary motive, animal rights activists fear that it will result in mass culling or the confinement of dogs in overcrowded, disease-ridden shelters.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan defended the law, asserting its necessity for public safety. However, the legislation has sparked significant backlash, with Sunday’s protesters demanding its repeal. Demonstrators carried posters with slogans such as “shelters are death camps” and “withdraw the bloody law.”
Hasan Kizilyatak, a 64-year-old protester, expressed his concern to The Associated Press, saying, “We want this law to be withdrawn immediately. They (stray dogs) are living beings, just like us. We are here because we are against them being annihilated.”
Among the protesters was Ayten Arslan, a 55-year-old supporter of Erdogan, who also voiced her opposition to the law. “Just like we stood beside our president on July 15 (2016) when there was a coup attempt, we are here for the stray animals,” she said. “I say as an AK Party supporter, this law is a bloody law.”
The legislation has also faced political opposition. The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) moved to challenge the law in the Constitutional Court less than two weeks after its passage.
The government estimates that around 4 million stray dogs roam Turkey’s streets and rural areas. While most are harmless, there have been incidents where people, including children, were attacked by stray dogs. According to a report by the Safe Streets and Defense of the Right to Life Association, 65 people have died in street dog attacks since 2022.
The new law mandates that municipalities collect stray dogs and house them in shelters where they will be vaccinated, neutered, and spayed before being made available for adoption. Dogs that are in pain, terminally ill, or pose a health risk to humans will be euthanized. The original draft of the bill included cats, but this provision was removed after a public outcry.
Despite these measures, many question the feasibility of the law, particularly where financially strained municipalities will find the resources to build the additional shelters required. Animal rights activists are concerned that some municipalities may resort to killing dogs under the pretext of illness rather than allocate the necessary resources to shelter them.
Recent videos circulating on social media showing dead cats and dogs buried in ditches have fueled fears that animals are being indiscriminately killed following the law’s passage. Activists argue that these incidents exemplify the law’s potential for abuse and underscore the need for its repeal.
