Court rules 4 mln liras in compensation to grieving family in stray dog case

ANTALYA

A court in the southern province of Antalya has found the provincial governor's office and the Antalya and Serik municipalities "guilty" in the case of a child who lost her life while trying to evade a stray dog and got hit by a truck, ruling that there was a lack of adequate measures and ordered for compensation nearing 4 million Turkish Liras to be made to the family.

The lawsuit filed by the family of 9-year-old Mahra Pelin Pınar, who died after being hit by a truck while running away from a stray dog in Antalya's Serik district, has been finalized.

The court ruled that the Antalya Governor's Office, the Antalya Municipality and the Serik Municipality were 100 percent at fault and ordered these institutions to pay a total of 3,920,000 liras in compensation.

The first hearing of the criminal case filed by the family against the Serik Municipality was held on Nov. 28.

Speaking to reporters after the hearing, father Murat Pınar said, "The purpose of filing the compensation case is to take action, to ensure that the administrations take measures in this regard."

Pınar emphasized that the court's decision is exemplary in terms of raising public awareness.

Previously, it was reported that the little girl was seriously injured following the accident that happened on March 5, 2022, and lost her life on March 28 at the hospital where she was being treated.

The incident sparked a public outrage on social media, with many arguing that stricter regulations on stray dogs should be introduced.