Ministry to inspect municipalities on stray handling

ANKARA

Authorities will begin inspections to ensure municipalities comply with legal requirements for managing stray animals, Agriculture and Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumaklı announced on Feb. 27.

"A significant number of our municipalities have started to take steps in this regard," Yumaklı said in televised remarks on private broadcaster NTV.

The minister refuted reports suggesting that municipalities have until 2028 to establish shelters for stray animals, clarifying that the legal obligation is already in effect.

"In 2025, municipalities should allocate funds from their budgets as required by law and start construction," he said. "This is their duty."

The inspections will begin soon, he added.

Earlier, Yumaklı warned that municipalities failing to allocate a budget for adoption, collection and sheltering of stray animals would face penalties starting in March.

"We will file a criminal complaint against those who did not allocate a budget, regardless of party," he told the Daily Sabah last month, urging citizens to report noncompliance to prosecutors.

The Agriculture and Forestry Ministry issued a directive to the country's 81 provincial governor’s offices earlier this month, instructing municipalities to remove stray animals from the streets.

Those failing to comply will face fines of nearly 72,000 Turkish Liras ($2,000) per abandoned animal.

The move comes amid ongoing debates over Türkiye’s stray dog law, a contentious issue in public and political discourse.

While municipalities with populations over 25,000 have until Dec. 31, 2028, to develop or expand their shelters, the ministry stressed that the obligation to collect and house stray animals is already in place.

In May, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) called for revisions to the law, arguing that the existing sterilization-based approach was insufficient to manage the stray dog population and ensure public safety.

Following heated debates and criticism, parliament ratified the controversial bill on July 30, which took effect in December.