Kadıköy Municipality to consider ban on pet-selling in pet stores

ISTANBUL

Hürriyet photo

The Veterinary Department at Istanbul's Kadıköy Municipality has proposed to the local council to ban selling pets in pet stores in Kadıköy, as they can not provide healthy conditions for the pets, daily Hürriyet reported.

The municipality council is set to discuss the proposal on Dec. 3.

"Pets are left alone and hungry in the pet shops at night. Most of them are transported to Turkey in illegal ways," Kadıköy Mayor Selami Öztürk, from the Republican People's Party (CHP), has said.

The proposal is also supported by the members of the council from the Justice and Development Party (AKP).

However, the Pet Store Owners' Association has issued a warning over the potential danger that the ban would lead to an increase in illegal sales of pets.

There are currently around 1,200 pet shops open in Istanbul.