The main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), has taken legal action against the new stray animal law in Turkey. The CHP has filed a case with the Constitutional Court to cancel it.
The law, passed in July 2023, demands the rounding up of millions of stray dogs and placing them in shelters. Dogs showing aggressive behavior or suffering from untreatable diseases will be euthanized.
The CHP argues that this law is inhumane and could lead to the unnecessary euthanasia of dogs. The party has vowed that cities under its control will not enforce this law.
Protests have taken place nationwide, with animal lovers and activists expressing their concerns about the new stray animal law.
Turkey is estimated to have around 4 million stray dogs. Critics have pointed out that the existing 322 animal shelters in Turkey don’t have space for all stray dogs. They have a capacity of only 105,000 dogs.
This has raised concerns that the law will lead to overcrowded shelters and increased killing of animals.
The CHP urges the Constitutional Court to stop the law’s enforcement, arguing that it violates animals’ rights to live in dignity.
Sterilizing stray dogs in Turkey
For the past 20 years, Turkish law has required the state and municipalities to regularly sterilize stray dogs to control their population.
Animal welfare organizations have criticized the government for not correctly fulfilling its responsibility, which has led to an increase in the stray dog population.
They advocate for the government to invest in Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) programs, a more humane method of controlling animal populations.
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