Turkey’s Supreme Court Upholds Controversial Stray Dog Law, Activists Warn of Impending Massacre

Supreme Court Decision Sparks Nationwide Divide

On Wednesday, Turkey's highest judicial authority ruled that the contentious law targeting stray dogs complies with constitutional norms. This verdict dismissed an appeal from the primary opposition party, CHP, which had claimed the law infringed fundamental animal and human rights. The legislation emerged following several highly publicized incidents involving stray dog attacks, some of which tragically involved children, stirring public outcry.

Turkey is currently home to an estimated 4 million stray dogs, a phenomenon equally prevalent in urban and rural settings.

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Details of the Controversial Law

Under the new regulation, municipal authorities are required to capture stray dogs and relocate them to animal shelters. Once in shelters, the dogs are intended to be vaccinated, sterilized, and made available for adoption. However, the law also controversially allows euthanasia for dogs deemed "ill, suffering, or dangerous to public health."

This provision has particularly alarmed animal welfare groups, who argue that due to limited resources and already overcrowded shelters, euthanasia will become the default solution rather than adoption and care.

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Activists Take to the Streets: "Stop the Bloodshed"

Immediately following the Supreme Court's ruling, scores of animal rights activists gathered in front of the Constitutional Court in protest. Chanting slogans and holding banners demanding "Repeal the Bloody Law," demonstrators accused the legislation of enabling "silent massacres."

Animal rights organizations claim numerous animals have already been indiscriminately euthanized since the law's initial implementation, frequently without proper veterinary oversight or health assessments.

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Concerns Over Practical Implementation

The court's ruling places substantial pressure on local authorities tasked with enforcing the new regulations. Many municipalities already struggle financially, making the establishment and management of adequate shelters highly uncertain. Activists fear this economic strain could lead to a proliferation of overcrowded and unsanitary shelters or arbitrary euthanasia decisions.

As the debate intensifies, the fight to protect Turkey's stray dogs remains far from over.