Turkey stray dogs: UK tourists threaten to 'boycott' holiday hotspot as horrific 'dog massacre' law introduced
A controversial new law has been introduced in Turkey which has seen the government authorise the collection and potential culling of stray dogs.
The legislation is designed to take dogs off the streets and house them in shelters, yet it also specifies that any dog displaying aggression or suffering from incurable ailments will be euthanised. The new law has sparked outrage from holidaymakers.
One person posted on X, formerly Twitter: "Mr Erdogen, do you still remember that day, during 2023 Turkey Earthquake, Indian sniffer dogs rescued a girl trapped in quake rubble. Mr Erdogen, if you are a human, withdraw the dog Massacre law right now. #BoycottTurkey #Turkey ".
Another wrote: "Turkey is currently carrying out the greatest dog massacre ever recorded in history. Emboldened by the "dog slaughter law" that recently passed, evil people are poisoning stray dogs en masse. Please don't stay quiet. #BoycottTurkey ".
Sharing a picture of another dog, a third person wrote on X: "Eres is one of the lucky dogs to have a chance at life. Eres is in #Turkey. They are picking up st dogs, who lived peacefully for centuries and killing them. Eres comes to the US mid month. Everyone counts. He needs a #foster or #adopter."
The legislative step was taken amidst rising concerns about canine-related attacks, traffic mishaps, and the threat of rabies in a country with an estimated stray dog population of four million. It was passed at the end of July and was introduced due to concerns about rabies, dog attacks and the animals causing accidents, calls for the animals to be moved into shelters.
However, it states that any dogs that have untreatable diseases or display aggressive tendencies should be put down. Videos shared on social media have shown numerous dogs rounded up and killed by people hunting the animals.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey's president, said: "Despite the opposition’s provocations and campaigns based on lies and distortions, the national assembly once again listened to the people, refusing to ignore the cries of the silent majority." The law, dubbed by opponents as the 'Massacre Law', has prompted protests in Istanbul. The Turkish government denies the measures will lead to a massacre of the dogs, and said local municipalities would be required to build new shelters to house them for rehabilitation before they could be put up for adoption.