Backlash over Türkiye’s controversial new bill to manage stray dog population

In many places around the world, stray dogs are a real issue. In the US alone, there are thought to be millions of stray dogs and cats, and there are millions more worldwide.

Among the countries where stray dogs are a problem is Türkiye, but new measures put in place in a bid to control the population are proving controversial.

The party of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the country’s president, submitted the bill to parliament last week, and Erdogan has said that an estimated four million strays are roaming around the country.

Critics of the bill – including major animal rights groups – have voiced concerns that it will lead to dogs being kept in cramped shelters, with none of the best dog beds or any real comforts, and also lead to mass euthanasia.

Initially, it was proposed that strays would be rounded up, taken to shelters, and euthanized if not adopted within 30 days. However, this proposal never made it to parliament due to public outcry.

In the revised plans, stray dogs would be taken from the streets and neutered or spayed in shelters. Abdullah Guler, a senior lawmaker, told reporters that dogs at risk of rabies, as well as those who display aggressive behavior and can’t be rehabilitated, would be euthanized, per Euronews .

However, local municipalities would be required to improve the conditions in their shelters, while residents would be encouraged to adopt the dogs.

As Erdogan’s party, and its allies, hold a majority in parliament, the bill is expected to pass.

According to a report from the Safe Streets and Defense of the Right to Life Association, an organization that campaigns for stray dogs to be removed from the streets, strays have attacked and killed 65 people since 2022. And, after a child in the Turkish capital of Ankara was severely injured by dogs earlier this year, the government promised to take action.

Legislation requiring stray dogs to be caught, neutered or spayed, and returned to the streets, is already in place. However, the regulations haven’t been implemented properly, causing the stray population to increase hugely – animal rights groups are arguing that, if they were implemented, they’d be enough to control the population.

Meanwhile, the UK has recently issued a stray dog warning for tourists heading to Türkiye, letting them know that they can form packs and be aggressive.

If you’re in the US and you come across a dog in public who looks lost, however, here’s what to do if you find a lost dog .