Turkey's parliament on Tuesday approved a law that aims to round up millions of stray dogs and put them into shelters. The plan has alarmed animal lovers who say a mass neutering campaign would be a better solution.
Under the legislation, proposed by President Tayyip Erdogan's ruling AK party, municipalities would have to get the strays off the streets and into shelters. Any dogs showing aggressive behaviour or that have untreatable diseases will be put down.
Turkey dog laws
Under previous legislation, municipalities had to neuter and vaccinate all street dogs and leave them where they were found following treatment. The population of street dogs in Turkey is estimated to be 4 million, and municipalities have neutered around 2.5 million in the past 20 years, according to the draft bill. The animals are often taken care of by neighbourhood residents and treated like pets.
There are currently 322 animal shelters with a capacity for 1,05,000 dogs, according to the bill. The law also requires all municipalities to spend at least 0.3% of their annual budget on animal rehabilitation services and building shelters. Municipalities will be given time until 2028 to build new shelters and improve current shelters, the law says. Thousands of people have taken to the streets over the past few weeks to protest against the law, occasionally scuffling with police.
Animal lovers stage massive protests
In Istanbul’s Sishane Square, hundreds gathered and issued a defiant message to the government. “Your massacre law is just a piece of paper for us,” the organizers told the crowd. “We will write the law on the streets. Life and solidarity, not hatred and hostility, will win.” Animal lovers in the capital Ankara protested outside municipal offices. To whistles and jeers, a statement was read: “We are warning the government again and again, stop the law. Do not commit this crime against this country.”
Protests organised by political parties and animal welfare groups were also held in cities across Europe, where there were warnings the law could dissuade tourists from visiting Turkey. Turkey's main opposition party said it would seek its cancellation at the country's Supreme Court. “You have made a law that is morally, conscientiously and legally broken. You cannot wash your hands of blood,” Murat Emir, a senior deputy with the Republican People’s Party, or CHP, said Sunday night in parliament. He questioned why the bill called for healthy and unaggressive animals to be collected if they were not to be killed.
(With inputs from agencies)
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