Oct 4 should be declared official holiday for animals: Turkish veterinary association

Meltem Özgenç – ANKARA

Turkish Medical Veterinary Association President Talat Gözet has urged authorities to ban making animals work on Oct. 4 World Animal Day.

“Many activities and works are being undertaken in the world and in our country to mark Oct. 4 in a bid to raise awareness regarding animal rights. As the Turkish Medical Veterinary Association, we want this to be a first and stop police dogs, racehorses, animals used by the fire brigades, coach horses, horses used by the Presidency, rescue and search dogs, donkeys used in cleaning services by small district municipalities, oxen, and animals used in the plowing and planting of croplands from working on Oct. 4,” Gözet said.

“Let this be an official holiday for them,” he added.

Gözet said this “exemplary behavior” would then spread from Turkey to other countries. “Let additional relaxing activities be undertaken on that special day for animals. For example, give them their most favorite food that day, clean them and relax them,” he said.

World Animal Day is an international day of action for animal rights and welfare celebrated annually on Oct. 4 each year.

According to the Naturewatch Foundation website, the mission of World Animal Day is “to raise the status of animals in order to improve welfare standards around the globe. Building the celebration of World Animal Day unites the animal welfare movement, mobilizing it into a global force to make the world a better place for all animals… Through increased awareness and education we can create a world where animals are always recognized as sentient beings and full regard is always paid to their welfare.”