Turkey's Parliament Approves Controversial Stray Dog Shelter Law

Turkey's parliament has approved a law to round up millions of stray dogs and place them in shelters, causing uproar among animal lovers. The new legislation mandates municipalities to shelter aggressive or diseased dogs. Critics advocate for mass neutering as a better solution.

Turkey's parliament approved a law on Tuesday to round up millions of stray dogs and place them in shelters, a plan that has alarmed animal lovers who advocate for a mass neutering campaign as a better alternative. The legislation, backed by President Tayyip Erdogan's ruling AK party, mandates municipalities to remove strays from the streets and house them in shelters. Aggressive dogs or those with untreatable diseases would be euthanized.

Previously, municipalities were required to neuter and vaccinate street dogs, then return them to their original locations. An estimated 4 million street dogs currently roam Turkey, with 2.5 million neutered over the past 20 years. These animals are often cared for by local residents as community pets.

According to the bill, Turkey has 322 animal shelters with a capacity for 105,000 dogs. The new law demands municipalities allocate at least 0.3% of their annual budget to animal rehabilitation and shelter construction. Municipalities have until 2028 to build and improve shelters. Public protests against the law have erupted, occasionally resulting in clashes with police.

(With inputs from agencies.)