Turkey Plans to Address Street Dog Issue Using Controversial Strategy
The presence of homeless dogs is a regular phenomenon in Turkey, yet it poses a risk to people's safety. The government plans to take drastic measures to eradicate these stray animals, which may not be very effective, according to experts.
Meet "Boji," the mascot representing Istanbul's street dogs. This four-legged friend has been interacting with the public by traveling on public transport throughout the city. His daily journeys covered up to 30 kilometers, and a GPS collar was used by the Istanbul City Council to track his movements. Finally, a rich businessman decided to adopt the canine mix. However, the proposed legislation by the Islamist-Conservative AKP government might have disastrous outcomes for these street pets.
The underlying proposal is unofficial but has alarmed animal rights activists enough for them to protest. As per the leaked information, animal shelters should euthanize healthy dogs that fail to find a home after 30 days. The transformation of laws is required, and AKP had passed the Turkish Animal Protection Law in 2004, seeking to safeguard animal welfare and prohibit the killing of street animals under normal circumstances.
Moral Concerns Among Veterinarians
The Turkish Veterinary Association poses serious concerns regarding this proposition since it goes against their ethical beliefs. They have clearly asserted that they will not be involved in the euthanasia process of healthy animals, denouncing the idea as equivalent to a massacre.
Estimates by the Ministry of Environment suggest that Turkey houses over four million stray dogs. Some residents in Istanbul's city centre express fondness for the strays and even give them personal names. However, the same cannot be said about the residents of Ankara, who fear their children being injured by these animals.
In a recent incident, a ten-year-old boy named Tunahan was severely attacked by two strays in Ankara, and this prompted President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to address the issue, stating that he is concerned about the population's safety. The prime concern is the potential dangers that street dogs could present, particularly in rural areas and forests.
Is There a Consensus on the Solution?
Several parties agree that the stray dog population must be controlled but have different opinions on the approach to adopt. AKP is yet to comment on the proposed plan, while its supporters claim that similar measures are being exercised in the UK. In contrast, Germany deems the euthanasia of healthy animals unacceptable.
The leader of the main opposition, Özgür Özel from CHP, views the government's initiative as either ignorant or risky and suggests a more humane strategy. The enlargement of shelter infrastructure and the enforcement of neutering should be prioritized, as recommended by activists.
Romanian-inspired model projects successfully apply neutering and vaccination as sustainable solutions. According to Luca Secker, a representative of the German Animal Welfare Federation, strays will not vanish by extermination or collection but will instead multiply, leading to a vicious cycle. She implies that euthanizing healthy dogs lacks an animal-friendly aspect and does not lead to a significant population reduction.
Food stations equipped with food and water can minimize causes of aggression. Other necessary measures include cracking down on the illegal dog trade and shutting dog dealers. The absence of street dogs in Germany can be attributed to a well-organized infrastructure of animal shelters, stresses Secker.
A stipulation in Turkish law mandates municipalities above a specific size to own an animal shelter. But rigid enforcement is a demand from animal rights advocates, with only 200 municipalities presently adhering to the legal obligation. The remaining municipalities are often criticized for their incompetence and inhuman treatment of animals.
In an effort to better regulate these shelters, sanctions must be introduced for those that fall short of the required standards, opines Ahmet Kemal Senpolat, chairman of Haytap, which advocates against animal cruelty. The end goal should be the reduction of street dog numbers, which cannot be achieved by destructive methods or compromising sanitary standards. Alternative solutions, like independently implementing sterilization and vaccination programs, offer a viable option in aiding the resolution of this social issue.
Sanctions must be enforced on shelters with inadequate standards for animal well-being.
Practical modalities like voluntarily neutering and vaccinating street dogs and keeping them inside well-maintained premises can be an effective approach.
Adopting the Romanian solution of neutering, feeding, and vaccinating strays not only ensures their safety but also makes them less aggressive.
To eradicate the stray dog issue, it is necessary to target the primary causes at the root.
The shared responsibility of society in bad scenarios, like stray dogs, should be addressed by an effective legal framework and proper implementation of laws that protect animals.
Rehabilitating aggressive dogs has been legal in Turkey, but reality paints a different picture in the country's animal shelters. Dogs are often confined in extremely small cages or chained up. There are continuous reports from Anatolia about horrific abuse and starvation of dogs. A lot of shelters heavily rely on donations to survive. Inflation has decreased the willingness to donate, as employees discuss.
Senpolat is concerned that the condition of these animals might lead to cruel measures, like shooting or burying them alive.
Secker echoes similar concerns; animals euthanized inhumane methods have been spotted in other countries before. For instance, in Odessa, Ukraine, dogs were burned or killed, while in Russia, there are reports of cremation. Secker notes that no matter what the reasons, it's the lack of attention and care in animal shelters that are now taking a toll. A potential result is the use of cost-cutting measures in the process of euthanasia.
Moreover, these cost-saving measures are not just limited to euthanizing animals, but extend to the methods used for catching the dogs. This has led to the emergence of new businesses, like paid dog catchers and companies dealing with the disposal of animal carcasses. There's also concern about the vaccination of street dogs that could result in increased risk for rabies, a disease Turkey still struggles with.
Securing the safety of the population, however, might be achieved through neutering the stray dogs. This will also ensure vaccination of the animals, creating a herd immunity in the stray dog population, thus providing some protection from rabies.
The First Lady's involvement
Debates about the controversial proposal continue. Several Turkish news outlets recently reported that Emine Erdogan, the President's wife, had expressed her concerns and intervened in the situation. The ruling party AKP is mulling over the issue. Eliminating problems subject to "Kamille" or similar names, referring to the neighborhood pets, is not the plan, claimed Abdullah Guler, but the focus is on aggressive street dogs.
Recently, Turkey's president, Erdogan, appeared to be neutralizing matters when he stated, "We are aiming to promote adopting stray animals through the amendment of the law." "We want all animals from the shelters to find new homes." If so, the next step would not be necessary.
Still, the probability of placing street dogs in their new homes is quite low. Istanbul's Yedikule animal shelter houses around 3,000 dogs. The administration reported that only 831 street dogs, without specifying the species, were adopted throughout Istanbul in 2020. Examining the shelter sites shows that many dogs have been waiting for adoption for more than 30 days. Take "Chef" for instance, a humongous dog that probably isn't the aggressive type. He adores cookies and children, and the shelter website has detailed his desire for a home with a backyard. His adoption opportunity started in mid-April.
Read also:
The international community has expressed concern over Turkey's proposed policy to euthanize healthy stray dogs. This controversial strategy has garnered criticism from various animal rights organizations worldwide.
Despite Turkey being home to over four million stray dogs, international dog shelters have vowed to assist in finding alternative solutions to the street dog issue in Turkey. Organizations such as the German Animal Welfare Federation have offered to share their successful Romanian-inspired model, which emphasizes neutering, vaccination, and proper shelter management as more humane and effective methods.
