Activists set to hit the streets again for animals

ISTANBUL

DAILYNEWS photo

Animal rights activists in Istanbul are set to hold another demonstration on Oct. 21 in protest against the recent modifications to Law No. 5199 for the Protection of Animal Rights.

Animal lovers staged an immense demonstration on Istanbul’s İstiklal Street on Sept. 30, gathering thousands to stand up for animal rights.

Public demonstrations and activism let the way to the withdrawal of the modification draft prepared by the Environment and Forest Ministry, with lawmaker Ayşe Nur Bahçekapılı assigned to look into the draft to judge whether animal rights activists were justified in their protest.

The draft was severely criticized for leading the way to mass animal killings, as it foresees the deportation of strays to “natural parks” to be established on the outskirts of cities. The law also limits the number of animals to be owned by any one person, and takes the regulation on so-called “dangerous breeds” one step further by leading the way to the removal of certain dog breeds from their owners.

According to an announcement from one activist, Bahçekapılı will submit her analysis to the parliamentary commission for animal rights in the last week of October and the law draft will be further discussed with the participation of non-governmental organizations, rendering the Oct. 21 demonstration all the more crucial.