Hearings regarding a new bill aimed at culling Turkey’s vast stray dog population kicked off yesterday (July 17) in the Agriculture, Forest, and Village Affairs Commission of the Turkish Parliament. The controversial bill has polarized animal rights supporters and those who argue that the country’s large stray dog population presents significant health and safety risks.
In yesterday’s hearing, the Agriculture, Forest, and Village Affairs Commission approved the first three articles of the new bill, entitled the ‘Animal Protection Law’. The commission is set to continue debate over the bill at its next meeting on July 22.
The bill outlines under what conditions stray dogs may be put down, and tasks local municipalities with catching unclaimed animals and sending them to shelters.
According to the proposed bill, municipalities will be given the authority to put down stray dogs deemed to be ‘sick, untreatable, aggressive, and threatening to public safety’.
Vahit Kirişçi, a member of parliament from Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) representing Kahramanmaraş, presided over the hearing.
Security officers reportedly struggled with animal rights activists attempting to enter Wednesday’s session.
Stiff push back from opposition lawmakers
In Wednesday’s hearing, several opposition members of parliament voiced their criticism of the AKP’s proposed bill. Barış Karadeniz, a lawmaker from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), criticized the proposal, asking his AKP colleagues on the commission “Have you asked your children about this bill? When they ask you about it, how will you answer them?”
AKP lawmakers reportedly responded saying their children are unable to walk to school due to aggressive dogs in their districts.
Historic cultural traditions regarding caring for stray animals dating centuries have been referenced by lawmakers and citizens who oppose the new law. In Wednesday’s hearing, Turkish Workers Party (TİP) representative Sera Kadıgil said “You are now attempting to interfere with 1000 years of culture using the signatures of 70 members of parliament.“
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Private citizens and neighborhood groups have cared for stray animals since Ottoman times. Under the new law, many of these animals would be marked for a swift end.
In Kadıgil’s comments, the TİP lawmaker continued by criticizing the AKP for lavish spending on items such as private planes for President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan while failing to build animal shelters and invest in sterilization during their 20-plus years in power.
Çiçek Otlu, a member of parliament from the pro-Kurdish DEM Party, criticized the AKP’s focus on street animals while failing to address the issue of femicide in Turkey:
“When I’m walking down the street alone I am not concerned about cats or dogs. I am concerned about some man who might harass me. The AKP should stop violence against women and femicides before addressing this issue.”
In her comments, Otlu referenced the numerous Islamic sects in Turkey that have been plagued by child abuse scandals in recent years.
Turkey’s stray dog problem
Turkey, long known for its street animals, is home to an estimated 2-4 million stray dogs.
Growing numbers of strays and high profile dog attacks in recent years have highlighted the need for population control.
While the new law debated on Wednesday calls for the culling of the animals, critics have voiced their opposition to the proposal on both moral and financial grounds.
A recent study on the topic commissioned by the Turkish Parliament outlined the costs and data related to the problem.
While to put down an animal is estimated to cost around 4000 Turkish Liras, sterilization is estimated at only around 500 TL.
According to the report, a sterilization rate of around 70% would be necessary to bring Turkey’s stray dog population under control. Currently, only an estimated 8.5% of the dogs have been sterilized.
On Wednesday (July 17), the Turkish Medical Association publicly announced its opposition to the AKP’s proposed plan.
Written/translated for Medyascope by Leo Kendrick
