Thousands of demonstrators gathered in İstanbul on Sunday to protest a controversial law that critics say is leading to the widespread killing of stray dogs across Turkey, The Associated Press reported.
Turkish legislators on July 30 approved a new law aimed at removing millions of stray dogs from the streets, citing public safety concerns. The law mandates that stray dogs be collected, vaccinated, neutered and spayed before being placed in shelters for adoption. Dogs that are ill, in pain or deemed a health risk to humans can be euthanized.
Animal rights activists fear the law will result in mass culling or force dogs into overcrowded and disease-ridden shelters. Protesters in Istanbul held signs reading “shelters are death camps” and “withdraw the bloody law,” demanding the law’s immediate repeal.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan defended the legislation, stating it was necessary to address Turkey’s “stray dog problem.” The government estimates around 4 million stray dogs roam the country, with reports of attacks on people, including children.
Despite Erdoğan’s support, the law has sparked significant opposition. The main opposition Republican People’s Party has petitioned the Constitutional Court to repeal the legislation. Critics argue that cash-strapped municipalities may resort to killing dogs rather than building and maintaining adequate shelters.
Videos of dead animals buried in ditches have circulated on social media, fueling concerns that some municipalities have already begun indiscriminately killing stray dogs.
The law initially included provisions for stray cats, but that section was removed after public outcry.