CHP applies to top court to annul law on stray dogs

ANKARA

The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has appealed to the Constitutional Court for the annulment of a law regarding the handling of stray dogs.

“We have submitted our 183-page appeal to the high court after meticulous work with all the relevant parties, including civil society,” CHP deputy leader Gökhan Günaydın said on Aug. 15 after he submitted the appeal.

The bill was approved in July after extended debates and protests. It includes a provision allowing veterinarians to euthanize dogs deemed to be suffering from "incurable, acute and infectious diseases, risks to human health or dangerous behavior."

The opposition parties and civil society have strongly criticized the government for disregarding animal rights.

“We demand the annulment of 16 articles of the 17-article law,” Günaydın stressed, underlining that bill is in violation of animal rights, public interest and human conscience.

“We therefore call on the Constitutional Court to convene and discuss our application as soon as possible and annul this law,” he added.

Following the passage of the law, dead dogs have been discovered in different parts of the country, prompting reactions about the implementation of the law.

This criticism comes as a response to footage recently surfacing on social media showing the torture and killing of animals in Ankara, Niğde and Edirne provinces.

“This bill does not include any provision that justifies such incidents,” Agriculture and Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumaklı said, commenting on the controversial topic.