Thousands of demonstrators in Turkey protest the controversial law on eradicating stray dogs

According to the news on September 2, 2024, on Sunday, September 1, 2024 local time, thousands of demonstrators held a protest in Istanbul, Turkey, against a recent controversial piece of legislation. Last month, Turkish legislators approved a new law aimed at eradicating the millions of stray dogs on the country's streets on the grounds of safety considerations. However, animal lovers are worried that this will lead to large-scale killings or the dogs being put into overcrowded shelters where diseases are rampant. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that this law is necessary to solve the "stray dog problem".

The protesters on Sunday were waving posters such as "Shelters are death camps" and "Withdraw the bloody law", calling for the repeal of this law. Hassan Kiziatak, a 64-year-old protester, said that stray dogs are also lives and he opposes their being eliminated. Aytun Arslan, 55, although she supports Erdogan, also participated in the protest, saying that the law is bloody. The main opposition party, the Republican People's Party, submitted a motion to the Constitutional Court to repeal the law less than two weeks after it was passed.

The government estimates that there are about 4 million stray dogs wandering in the streets and rural areas of Turkey. Although most of the dogs are harmless, there are indeed people, including children, who have been attacked. An organization reported that since 2022, 65 people have died in stray dog attacks. The new legislation requires municipal authorities to collect stray dogs, place them in shelters, vaccinate and neuter them, and then put them up for adoption. Problematic dogs will be euthanized. The initial draft included cats, but it was later revised due to public protests. However, many people question how cash-strapped municipal authorities will build the needed shelters. Animal rights activists are worried that some municipal authorities may use the excuse of dogs being sick to kill them. The recent videos circulating on social media of dead cats and dogs being buried have also caused concerns, saying that these animals were killed indiscriminately after the law was passed.