Most Turks do not think of stray animals as dangerous
ISTANBUL
Some 45 percent of Turks do not think stray animals are “dangerous,” while 34 percent believe otherwise, a study conducted by a department at the Interior Ministry shows.
The study, titled “Perception of Stray Animals and Public Security,” was carried out in 12 provinces, including Istanbul, Ankara and İzmir, among 1,100 people in January by the Internal Security Strategies Department.
More than 82 percent of the participants in the survey said they love stray animals, 9.2 percent said they disliked them, while 8.5 percent were undecided.
Some 40 percent of the surveyed said they like stray animals more than pets, while 27.5 percent disagreed.
According to the survey, more than 67 percent of the people encounter stray animals almost every day, but only 13.6 percent suggested that they have been attacked by those animals, while nearly 62 percent said they have had never experienced such an incident.
Around 28 percent of the participants suggested they had witnessed an attack by stray animals.
Only 39 percent of the people think that stray animals should be transferred to shelters, but more than 45 percent disagree, saying that they should continue to live in their natural environment.
The survey also showed that 41.5 percent of the people do not think stray animals pose a security threat, but 44.5 percent expressed concern about the presence of those animals where children play out on the streets.
