Minister addresses stray dog issue amid proposal outrage

ANKARA

As the debate over legal regulations for stray animals continues, Agriculture and Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumaklı has pointed out the issue to be the lack of a responsible party for stray animals under current law.

Yumaklı highlighted that in the past five years, approximately 260,000 dogs have been sterilized, but solving the problem requires sterilizing 70 percent of the stray dog population.

Addressing the ongoing discussions on social media about the issue, Yumaklı emphasized the need for technical data to guide solutions.

“The number of stray dogs is estimated to be nearly 4 million,” he noted, explaining that stray dogs reproduce prolifically, birthing six to eight puppies up to twice a year and frequently relocating, complicating efforts to track their numbers accurately.

“Türkiye is classified by the World Health Organization as a high-risk country for rabies,” Yumaklı stated, adding that several countries have issued travel warnings to their citizens due to the rabies risk and dangers posed by stray dogs in Türkiye.

In that regard, Yumaklı shared alarming statistics from the Health Ministry.

“While the number of rabies risk contacts, including pets, was 267,000 on average between 2018 and 2022, this number nearly doubled to 438,000 in 2023,” he said.

He further highlighted the traffic hazards posed by stray animals, citing Interior Ministry data indicating that 55 deaths and 5,147 injuries were recorded in 3,534 traffic accidents involving animal collisions in the last five years.

Stating that he welcomed “thoughtful discussions, opinions and suggestions on this issue,” he said, “I believe our country can overcome this problem with the realistic solutions proposed by experts, especially scientists, and with the support of our citizens.”

The current debate started after the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) recently proposed a controversial measure as a part of a new law that includes the culling of stray dogs that are not adopted within 30 days of being captured.

However, this proposal sparked significant backlash from the public and animal rights groups.