Animal rights activists in Turkey have taken to the streets in protest after legislators approved a law that will remove millions of dogs from the country’s streets.
Critics have expressed their fears about this new legislation, as they argue this will lead to the animals being killed or ending up neglected in overcrowded shelters.
The Turkish Grand National Assembly approved the new law on Tuesday, July 30 after an overnight session as the deputies pushed to have the law passed before the government’s summer recess.
Critics have argued that this enactment may be used to target the opposition, who have made huge gains in recent elections, as a clause of the legislation includes penalties for mayors.
The most powerful opposition party in Turkey have made promises to the public that they will not implement the new law. The approval of the legislation has led to mass protests for lawmakers to scrap an article that would allow stray animals to be euthanised.
The clause has been referred to by the opposition and protestors as the “massacre law”, and it has been received with heavy criticism. There are believed to be approximately 4 million stray dogs in Turkey at the moment, and while they are generally not harmful, a number of the mutts have been forming packs and some people have been attacked.
The stray cats of Turkey have not been included in the bill. The Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan now needs to sign the article to make it law.
He issued a statement thanking his party who voted in favour of the legislation: “Despite the opposition’s provocations and campaigns based on lies and distortions, the national assembly once again listened to the people, refusing to ignore the cries of the silent majority.”
Protests began in Istanbul’s Şişhane Square, with organisers addressing the government: “Your massacre law is just a piece of paper for us. We will write the law on the streets. Life and solidarity, not hatred and hostility, will win.”
“We are warning the government again and again, to stop the law. Do not commit this crime against this country.”
The Republican People’s Party, who are the opposition party in Turkey have said they are seeking to cancel the legislation. “You have made a law that is morally, conscientiously and legally broken. You cannot wash your hands of blood,” senior deputy of the party Murat Emir said.
