Türkiye’s parliament approved a law on July 29 to remove millions of stray dogs from the streets. Animal lovers fear that this law will lead to many dogs being killed or ending up in neglected, overcrowded shelters.
Overview of the Law
The new law was approved with 275 votes in favour and 224 votes against it. The law requires the municipalities to round up stray dogs and house them in shelters to be spayed, neutered, and vaccinated before being put up for adoption.
The law, part of the draft bill on the fate of the animals, says that aggressive or very sick dogs will be euthanised.
The euthanasia clause was adopted on Monday, while the rest of the bill is being debated and expected to be adopted in the coming days. The government says that the clause is required to prevent dog attacks and contain the spread of rabies.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, whose conservative AKP party and its allies hold an absolute majority in parliament, said that the other stray dogs should be sent to shelters and put up for adoption.
Erdoğan also reportedly said ahead of the debate that Türkiye faced a problem that was “growing exponentially” and that the people wanted “safe streets” to walk on.
The government estimates around 4 million stray dogs in the country.
The country’s large stray cat population has been left out of the bill.
Opposition’s Response
The opposition Republican People’s Party, which rules a few major cities, including Istanbul, has said that its mayors will not accept the law. However, the government has warned that mayors who refuse to carry out the law will be jailed.
Animal rights groups, along with opposition parties, have raised questions about the morality of the law and also question whether the government’s approach will even turn out to be effective. The number of stray dogs is too high, making adoption an infeasible solution. Animal lovers are advocating for neutering campaigns instead.
Protests have erupted across the country against the new law, with demonstrations in Istanbul’s Sishane Square and outside the municipal offices in the capital, Ankara.
Historical Context
The law has revived memories of the 1910 tragedy: when the Ottoman Empire ruled Türkiye, authorities rounded up around 60,000 stray dogs in Istanbul and sent them to a deserted rock in the Sea of Marmara. With nothing to eat, the dogs died of hunger or by drowning. It is even said that they tore each other to pieces.
