By Janet Ekstract ISTANBUL – A new law that would permit the euthanasia of stray dogs who remain unadopted is raising alarm among animal rights activists, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and the Istanbul Bar Association. Head of the Turkish animal rights organization Haytap Ahmet Kemal Senpolat told the press he supports a comprehensive approach that includes banning pet sales, regular sterilization and penalites for animal abandonment. Senpolat added that the stray dog populace won’t be controlled by killing them or collection. An NTV report on Friday, said theTurkiye’s Justice and Development Party (AK Party) is set to finalize a draft law to deal with the plethora of stray dogs all over the country. The proposed legislation took its lead from global models including regulations in the U.K. which incorporates provisions for euthanizing stray dogs that remain unadopted for a specified period of time.
The proposed law would call on each municipality to be responsible for managing its stray dog population within its own jurisdiction. Shelters will photograph dogs and publish adoption announcements on their websites with a 30-day period for those who would want to adopt. Those dogs not adopted within the 30-day period would be euthanized using a painless injection method. Though some AK party members have stressed that the euthanasia will be merciful, making sure the dogs have minimal suffering – the Istanbul Bar Association said measures to get at the root causes of the stray dog issue, are necessary. They mentioned a seasonal trend of dog abandonment especially in holiday areas that has increased the stray population. Meanwhile, dogs that are adopted will be microchipped to monitor its owner’s responsibility for the dog. According to statistics, Turkiye has an estimated five to seven million stray dogs and the current shelter capacity is inadequate to deal with such a large populace.
Meanwhile, animal rights activists are recommending alternative strategies such as targeted castration or sterilization, vaccination and the release of dogs back into their original areas. They say that such an approach provides a sustainable solution to the issue of stray dogs in Turkiye while making the welfare of the dogs, a top priority. Turkiye’s proposed law follows similar legislation in countries like Romania where euthanasia of healthy dogs has been permitted since 2013. Those against such measures claim they fail to account for underlying causes of the stray dog issue and could have unintended consequences. The debate continues about the most effective approach to deal with the issue of the stray dog population. It’s a tough balancing act with so many issues needing to be considered: animal welfare, public safety as well as community concerns that remain a major challenge for policymakers and advocates.
