Animal rights activists fear mass euthanasia of stray dogs in Türkiye after new top court ruling

Türkiye's apical tribunal rejected a petition connected Wednesday to annul a contentious rule designed to region millions of stray dogs from nan streets.

Critics said nan measurement could lead to wide killings of nan animals.

The main guidance statement had sought nan overturn of nan authorities that was enacted past year, arguing that it violated animal authorities and nan correct to life.

The Constitutional Court, however, has ruled that nan provisions are legally valid and for it to proceed to beryllium implemented.

Türkiye says it will put stray dogs up for adoption

Dozens of animal authorities activists had gathered adjacent nan Constitutional Court to property nan tribunal to repeal nan law, holding up posters reference "cancel nan blood-ridden law" and shouting anti-government slogans.

The authorities has estimated that immoderate 4 cardinal stray dogs roam Türkiye's cities and countryside.

While galore of nan dogs are harmless, nan authorities moved to tighten authorities connected stray animals, pursuing incidents of canine attacks, including cases involving children.

The rule requires municipalities to information up stray dogs and relocate them into shelters wherever they would beryllium vaccinated, neutered and spayed earlier making them disposable for adoption.

Dogs that are successful pain, terminally sick aliases airs a wellness consequence to humans would beryllium euthanised.

Animal authorities activists fearfulness wide euthanasia of stray dogs

Animal-lovers powerfully reason nan ruling, dubbing it nan “massacre law”. They fearfulness it will lead to wide culling aliases dogs ending up successful disease-ridden and overcrowded shelters.

They person besides raised concerns astir really financially-strained municipalities will unafraid backing to conception nan further shelters.

They fearfulness that, alternatively of allocating resources to attraction for nan stray dogs, immoderate municipalities whitethorn edifice to euthanising them nether nan pretext of illness.

Animal authorities advocates person besides claimed that galore thoroughfare animals were indiscriminately killed aft nan transition of nan rule past August.

The Ankara Bar Association, an organisation for lawyers, claims that since its implementation, "hundreds of animals person died owed to this law, which does not service nan nationalist interest."

Last year, nan Humane Society International (HSI) criticised Türkiye's attack to managing its stray dog population.

“I deliberation it’s really a measurement backmost successful progressive ways of reasoning astir patient cities, progressive cities, managing dogs successful a humane way,” said Katherine Polak, nan vice president of companion animals and engagement astatine HSI, arsenic quoted by Vox.

The latest tribunal ruling is apt to summation unit connected municipalities to enforce nan law.