Turkish parliament passes stray animal bill
ANKARA
The Turkish parliament ratified a controversial bill regarding the handling of stray dogs early July 30 following hours-long debates amid criticism and protests.
The ruling Justice and Development Party's (AKP) 17-article proposal was endorsed by the general assembly after 28 hours of deliberation over two days, after it garnered commission approval last week.
Out of 594 members of the parliament, 500 participated in the vote, with 275 in favor, 224 against, and one abstention.
According to the article on euthanasia, which sparked months of hot debates and protests, a veterinarian will be able to decide to euthanize dogs if they "present a danger to the life or health of people and animals, display uncontrollable negative behavior, have a contagious or incurable disease or whose adoption is forbidden.”
The euthanasia procedure must be performed either by a veterinarian or under their supervision.
During committee discussions, the term euthanasia was removed from the proposal, and a reference to the Veterinary Law, which encompasses the same concept, was inserted instead.
The opposition contended that the concept of euthanasia should be entirely abolished.
Opposition members of parliament protested the proposal during talks by wearing red gloves and carrying banners that read "No to the Bloody Law."
Concurrently, civil society organizations, professional associations, animal rights activists, and some Republican People's Party (CHP) members convened in Ankara to protest the inclusion of the euthanasia article in the bill.
Beyond the euthanasia provision, the law mandates that local governments, in collaboration with volunteer organizations, establish animal shelters to care for and treat stray animals until they are adopted.
Dogs taken into these shelters will be kept there until rehabilitated and adopted, while cats will be returned to their original locations after their care and treatment.
The legislation grants municipalities until the end of 2028 to establish adequate animal shelters and improve existing ones, while allocating five per thousand of their latest budget revenues to care for stray animals until they are adopted. This rate will be three per thousand in metropolitan municipalities.
The Treasury and Finance Ministry will transfer 40 percent of expenditures exceeding these allocated amounts back to the municipalities. The allocated funds cannot be repurposed for other uses.
As a deterrent measure, mayors and municipal officials who fail to allocate the specified funds or use the funds for other purposes will face imprisonment from six months to two years.
The law also imposes responsibilities on pet owners, with fines for abandoning pets increasing from 2,000 to 60,000 Turkish Liras. Cat and dog owners must register their pets with digital identification methods by Dec. 31, 2025.
The law will come into force following its publication in the Official Gazette. After the vote, the parliament began its recess until Oct. 1.
Speaking to the press post-vote, CHP leader Özgür Özel announced plans to challenge the law at the Constitutional Court.
"Since vaccinated stray dogs act as a barrier against diseases like rabies between urban and wild environments, this law poses a significant public health risk by keeping them off the streets. We will thoroughly evaluate the entire law and appeal to the Constitutional Court, seeking a stay of execution. This is our duty, and we will act expeditiously," he stated.