In a controversial legislative move, the Turkish government addresses the concern surrounding the frequent stray animal attacks and the growing rabies outbreaks. The law offered by the ruling party, AKP, has faced backlash from animal activists about the new euthanization regulations in the proposition.
The stray dog problem has been a growing issue in the country, with a predicted number of 4 to 10 million dogs. While Turkiye was discussing formulas for stray animals in the shadow of preparations for legal regulation, the World Health Organization defined the country in the “high risk” category regarding rabies. Countries including Germany, the UK, and France have added this issue to their travel advice, revealing the extent of the problem. For example, French citizens were asked not to approach or pet stray dogs in Turkiye and were advised to get rabies vaccinations as a precautionary measure before visiting areas with stray dogs, stating that they can roam in packs and become aggressive in vacant lots. The Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that these could be particularly dangerous for young children.
AK Party Group Chairman Abdullah Güler announced a 17-article legislative proposal addressing aggressive stray dogs. This proposal includes measures for the euthanasia of rabies-risk or irredeemably aggressive stray dogs. Güler highlighted that, despite the sterilization of approximately 2.5 million stray dogs and the adoption of 550,000 over the past two decades, local administrations have often fallen short in managing the situation, leading to an increase in rabies cases.
The euthanasia law created a massive debate among animal rights activists and the public. In the final version of the law, stray dogs will be sterilized, vaccinated, and kept in shelters until they are housed. With the proposal made during the negotiations, the word "euthanasia" was removed from the proposal text to avoid backlash, despite Article 12 of the EU Convention on the Protection of Pets directly stating that the "high population" of stray animals is a reason for putting them to sleep. Instead, the statement "The provisions in the 3rd Paragraph of Article 9 of the Veterinary Services Law apply" was added to the text, which prohibits euthanasia except in cases of diseases that cause pain and suffering to animals or from which there is no recovery, the purpose of preventing an acute infectious animal disease, or in situations that pose a risk to human health, in cases where their behavior creates danger to human health and life or where their negative behavior cannot be controlled. Euthanasia will be "performed by a veterinarian or under the supervision of a veterinarian".
To enforce these measures, the new legislation proposes imprisonment for officials who neglect their duties and fines for municipalities that fail to utilize allocated budgets for animal welfare. The Ministry of Agriculture will oversee the establishment and maintenance of quality shelters, ensuring they meet the required standards.
However, critics point out that, while using euthanasia in the required cases, it does not tackle the root issue of stray dog overpopulation.The legislation alone is insufficient to control the stray dog population. Experts state that effective population control requires a comprehensive approach that includes sterilization programs, public education on responsible pet ownership, and improved animal welfare policies.
While the number of stray dogs is a mainstream debate in the country, the top number estimated for them, 10 million, is even less than the European average of dogs. The number of pet dog owners is prominently lower than in other European countries, which is a prominent reason why even the concept of street dogs exists.
Stating that they defend the idea of zero stray dogs on the streets, lawyer Meltem Zorba from the Safe Streets Association has noted that the draft law should be prepared accordingly. "Euthanasia measures are a logical solution for dogs that have caused the deaths of people, show aggression, and carry serious diseases. That's why we are disturbed that the main problem is ignored and discussed only in terms of killing dogs." She also stated that "the only propaganda made so far was 'one bowl of water, one bowl of food'. Imposing on society that the only thing animals need is to be fed could not prevent the animal population from increasing to a point where we cannot control it."
Despite shelters being aimed at being a bridge between people who want to be pet owners and stray dogs, while 40% of citizens get paid the minimum wage of 600 dollars monthly, the economic conditions of an average Turkish citizen don’t expand for a dog who has a constant need for food and attention. A deliveryman from Istanbul showed his condition. "Taking care of animals is expensive. Exceeding the expense; it requires time and effort. I have to ride my motorcycle 15 hours a day to feed myself. I do not have the economic or mental capacity to deal with an animal's toilet needs, attention needs, and food needs when I cannot even take a shower."
While being a forward step towards the issue, this new legislation won’t be sustainable without closing pet shops and forbidding breed dog farms. Trying to keep the dogs in shelters until they are adopted won’t be sustainable because only a small percentage of Turkish citizens have the economic flexibility to adopt a dog. As lawyer Gönenç Gürkaynak states, “Further legislative changes and citizens' awareness of the issue are the only solutions to bring health and public safety to the best possible level.”
