Turkish stray dog law ignites protests over threat of mass killings

Turkish legislators have approved a controversial law aimed at removing millions of stray dogs from the country’s streets, a move that animal rights activists fear could lead to widespread euthanasia or overcrowded shelters.

As The Guardian reports, critics also argue the law will be weaponized against the opposition, which recently gained significant ground in local elections. The legislation imposes penalties on mayors who fail to comply, prompting the main opposition party to vow noncompliance.

The Turkish Grand National Assembly passed the bill early Tuesday after an overnight session, with the government pushing for its approval before the summer recess. Thousands have protested nationwide, condemning the measure, which they dub the “massacre law.”

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan praised his ruling party and allied lawmakers for passing the legislation after an "intense and tiring" session. “Despite the opposition’s provocations and campaigns based on lies and distortions, the national assembly once again listened to the people, refusing to ignore the cries of the silent majority,” he said.

The government estimates about 4 million stray dogs roam Turkey’s urban and rural areas. Although many are harmless, an increasing number form packs, leading to attacks on people. The bill does not address the country’s large stray cat population.

Protests erupted in Istanbul’s Şişhane Square and Ankara, where demonstrators issued defiant messages to the government. “Your massacre law is just a piece of paper for us,” organizers declared in Istanbul. “We will write the law on the streets. Life and solidarity, not hatred and hostility, will win.”

Turkey’s main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), announced plans to challenge the law in the supreme court. “You have made a law that is morally, conscientiously, and legally broken. You cannot wash your hands of blood,” said CHP senior deputy Murat Emir.

The legislation mandates municipalities to collect stray dogs, vaccinate, neuter, and spay them before making them available for adoption. Dogs that are in pain, terminally ill, or pose health risks to humans will be euthanized. However, concerns persist about the financial burden on cash-strapped municipalities to build adequate shelters.

The CHP, which controls many of Turkey’s largest municipalities, has pledged not to implement the law. The newly passed bill includes prison sentences of up to two years for mayors who do not comply, fueling suspicions it will be used to target opposition mayors.

Government officials deny the bill will result in mass culling. “This is not a ‘massacre’ law. This is an ‘adoption’ law,” said Agriculture and Rural Affairs Minister İbrahim Yumaklı. Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç emphasized that those killing strays “for no reason” would face punishment.

Advocates for safer streets, like Murat Pınar, highlight the dangers posed by stray dogs, citing incidents where at least 75 people, including 44 children, have died from dog attacks or related traffic accidents since 2022. Pınar's own daughter, Mahra, was fatally struck by a truck while fleeing from aggressive dogs in 2022.

[Information sourced from The Guardian]