Turkey’s ruling party presented a controversial bill to parliament on Friday that seeks to round up millions of stray dogs, sparking alarm among animal rights advocates who argue that a mass neutering campaign would be a more humane solution than confining dogs in shelters, Reuters reported.
Under the draft law proposed by the Justice and Development Party (AKP), municipalities would be tasked with removing stray dogs from the streets and housing them in shelters until they are adopted. Aggressive dogs or those with untreatable diseases would be euthanized.
“Streets are not a space for dogs to live. But they have the right to live in more qualified shelters,” Abdullah Güler, chair of the AKP’s parliamentary group, told reporters.
An earlier version of the bill, leaked to Turkish media months ago, included a provision that allowed all street dogs to be euthanized within a month. This was removed following public outcry, including from opposition politicians.
The population of street dogs in Turkey is estimated at 4 million, and municipalities have neutered 2.5 million dogs over the past 20 years, according to the bill. Current legislation mandates that municipalities neuter and vaccinate street dogs and return them to their original locations after treatment.
There are currently 322 animal shelters with a capacity of 105,000 dogs, according to the bill.
The draft law also requires all municipalities to allocate at least 0.3 percent of their annual budget to animal rehabilitation services and the construction of shelters. Municipalities have until 2028 to build new shelters and improve existing ones, the bill says.
The bill’s provision for euthanizing aggressive or incurably ill dogs has drawn significant criticism from animal lovers and activists. Critics argue that the focus should instead be on neutering and vaccination programs to control the stray population humanely.
Animal rights groups have also expressed concern that the bill could lead to the unnecessary euthanasia of healthy animals. They argue that the government should invest in large-scale neutering campaigns and public awareness programs to encourage adoption and responsible pet ownership.
In #Turkey, there is a huge resistance against a plan of the #AKP government to adopt a law that enables the mass murder of stray dogs. AKP phrases it as 'offering the option of euthanasia', as if dogs can opt in or out. Hashtags: #ötenazi and #yasayigericek (withdrawthelaw). https://t.co/NePGG6WjMk
— Frederike Geerdink (@fgeerdink) July 13, 2024
Animal shelters will be required to register all dogs in a national database, with those deemed aggressive or incurably ill subject to euthanasia. Dogs housed in shelters will be kept there until they are adopted.
The bill’s critics argue that it fails to address the root causes of the stray dog problem, such as irresponsible pet ownership and the lack of widespread neutering programs. They also fear that the bill’s enforcement could lead to the mistreatment or neglect of dogs in underfunded and overcrowded shelters.
The proposed legislation is expected to be reviewed by the Turkish parliament’s Environment Committee next week.