Euthanasia term removed from stray animal bill

ANKARA

A parliamentary committee continued its fourth session of deliberations on a contentious legislative proposal concerning stray animals on July 23, a day after making a significant amendment to the euthanasia clause.

The ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) proposal, which has long been a subject of heated debate, underwent a change during the session on July 22 as the term "euthanasia" was excised from the text, following vehement criticism from both the opposition parties and animal rights groups.

According to the previous regulation in the proposal, the law would authorize municipalities to euthanize stray animals if their populations threaten public safety, spread diseases transmittable to humans or damage water resources, wildlife and biodiversity, a stipulation that had sparked weeks of protest demonstrations nationwide.

Instead, during the session on July 22, a reference was made to a provision in the Veterinary Services Act of 2010, which still encompasses the concept of euthanasia.

This provision permits euthanasia, with veterinary approval, for animals that are in severe pain, have incurable conditions, or present a risk of acute infectious diseases, as well as those whose behavior poses a danger to human and animal health and cannot be controlled.

The euthanasia procedure must be conducted by or under the supervision of a veterinarian. Consequently, the clause allowing for the euthanasia of stray animals by local authorities in cases where the stray animal population poses a public safety threat was eliminated.

Additionally, the proposal's fourth article saw further modifications through the submitted motion.

The phrase "animals taken into shelters shall be registered in the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry's data system and housed in animal shelters until they are rehabilitated and adopted" was altered to specify dogs, thereby excluding cats.

The deliberations, which began last week, have been marked by intense debates during each session, with members engaging in discussions that extended into the early morning hours.

The last discussions of the proposal were conducted under stringent security measures, with local media capturing images of numerous security personnel in the corridors leading to the commission hall.

The session on July 22 saw two articles approved after nine hours of debate. The initial debate in the Agriculture and Forestry Commission on July 17. Lawmakers approved the first three articles of the 17-article bill during the session.

The bill also introduces penalties for mayors and council members who fail to provide adequate resources, with potential prison sentences ranging from six months to two years.

Furthermore, it proposes new fines for individuals who abandon animals in other districts or forested areas.