Turkey Confirms Law Allowing Stray Dogs to Be Killed

Supreme Court Upholds Controversial Law

On Wednesday, Turkey’s Constitutional Court rejected an appeal filed by the main opposition party to overturn the country’s new stray dog legislation. The law, passed in August 2024, requires municipalities to collect stray dogs and transfer them to shelters.

While authorities insist the measure is meant to ensure public safety after a series of dog attacks—including incidents involving children—the ruling confirmed that the provisions are legally valid and must remain in force.

What the Law Says

According to the government, Turkey is home to an estimated four million stray dogs roaming its cities and countryside. The law mandates that captured dogs be vaccinated, neutered, and sterilized before being put up for adoption.

However, dogs deemed terminally ill, in pain, or “a threat to human health” may be euthanized. Officials present this as a humane approach to population control.

“Massacre Law”: Animal Rights Groups React

Animal welfare organizations strongly oppose the legislation, warning that it opens the door to indiscriminate killings. Critics fear overcrowded shelters with limited resources will be unable to cope—leading municipalities to resort to mass euthanasia under the guise of disease control.

Protests erupted outside the Constitutional Court, where demonstrators carried signs reading “Cancel the bloody law”. The Ankara Bar Association has stated that “hundreds of animals have died due to this law, which does not serve the public interest.”

The Humane Society International (HSI) also condemned the move. Katherine Polak, HSI’s vice president for companion animals, told Vox: “This is really a step backward in progressive thinking about healthy, humane cities and managing dogs in a responsible way.”

Adoption Promises vs. Reality

The government has pledged that most collected dogs will be sterilized and offered for adoption. But activists question whether municipalities—already facing financial strain—have the capacity to build and run new shelters.

Reports from advocacy groups claim that many stray dogs were already euthanized indiscriminately after the law’s adoption last year, fueling mistrust and anger.

For animal rights defenders, the fear is clear: rather than protecting both people and dogs, the law may normalize mass culling.