Turkey’s parliament has voted in favor of a controversial article on the killing of stray dogs that are considered sick or aggressive. A majority of lawmakers in Ankara on Monday approved the fifth of 17 articles of a law that was debated on Sunday. The section provides for the killing of stray dogs that “pose a danger to the life and health of people and animals.”
Dogs with “uncontrollable negative behavior and dogs with a contagious or incurable disease” should also be killed. The entire law could be passed in the coming days. Animal rights activists fear that a major campaign to kill stray dogs is now looming.
Protests against the law
The Turkish opposition, which provides the mayors in the capital Ankara and the metropolis Istanbul, has announced that it will not implement the new regulation if it is passed by parliament. On Sunday, opposition lawmakers demonstrated in parliament against the text of the law, which also includes a campaign to sterilize stray dogs, by donning white gloves soaked in fake blood.
The Turkish government has defended the new regulations, citing an increase in attacks by stray dogs and cases of rabies in homeless animals. “Our people want safe streets,” said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose Islamist conservative AKP party and its allies hold a majority in parliament.
Four million stray dogs
In late May, Erdogan stressed that there are about four million stray dogs in Turkey – more than in any other developed country in the world. In recent weeks, there have been repeated protests against the planned killing of street dogs.
The discussions also recalled a campaign against stray dogs in the Ottoman Empire. In 1910, tens of thousands of stray dogs were captured in Istanbul and taken to a deserted island in the Sea of Marmara. The dogs starved to death there, and most of the animals eventually died of hunger.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
