In Istanbul, the dog days of summer started early this year, with 10,000 residents gathering in a sizzling hot square in Yenikapi on June 2 to protest a proposal by the Turkish government to capture and kill the city’s stray dogs. This proposal has shocked many in a country where caring for stray animals is a point of pride across the political spectrum. Istanbul has a unique communal pet culture where people put out saucers of milk each morning for strays, even amid soaring prices.
The demonstration in Yenikapi was just one of 19 coordinated events throughout the country protesting the proposal. The new draft law on animal rights has proposed euthanasia to control the growing number of stray dogs. Animal lovers fear that this would lead to the death of hundreds of thousands of street dogs. However, the intense public backlash may have the government reconsidering its plan.
The Turkish Veterinary Association has stated that animal-borne rabies are decreasing and that mass dog culling should not be part of the rabies control strategy. They advocate for vaccinating at least 70% of the dog population to prevent the spread of rabies. Other activists argue that the dog breeding industry should be made more accountable to address the rising rate of abandoned animals.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has cited recent fatal dog attacks, statistics about rabies, and dog-related car accidents to justify the need for a radical solution to the stray dog issue. During the country’s local elections, government-backed candidates framed stray dogs as a significant problem affecting daily life.
Despite the government’s arguments, there is a growing criticism in Turkey that stray dogs should not be put back on the street after being neutered due to concerns about potential attacks on people, especially the elderly and children, or causing accidents. Right-wing online groups and pro-government outlets have highlighted incidents of dog attacks, leading to calls for mass castration and zero strays as the only solution.
The government’s proposal to euthanize strays has sparked a nationwide debate, with speculation about the true motives behind the plan. Some believe it is a distraction from more pressing issues, while others see it as part of a cultural war between religiously conservative and secular factions. The history of stray dogs in Istanbul dates back centuries, with the animals playing a significant role in the city’s social fabric.
Despite the challenges, many citizens have taken it upon themselves to care for stray dogs, filling the gaps left by insufficient government efforts. The debate over the fate of Istanbul’s street animals reflects broader societal tensions and political dynamics in Turkey. The government’s response to the public backlash and the introduction of new legislation suggest that the issue of stray dogs remains a complex and contentious one in the country.
