Turkey’s Stray Animal Crisis: Mass Graves Discovered After Controversial Law Was Passed

Photos by: Tunahan Turhan

UPDATE! When President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his political party introduced a bill aimed at eradicating strays from the streets of Turkey, animal advocates and opposition lawmakers quickly dubbed the proposed legislation “The Massacre Law.”

Mere days after the law was enacted, activists in several municipalities, including those in Ankara and Niğde, reported finding mass graves filled with dog carcasses.

Photojournalist Tunahan Turhan bravely documented this horrifying discovery. News sources reported that the animals died from poisoning or violence, with some even found bound at the legs.

This horrific new law has also intensified public protests and calls for boycotts against Turkey, as activists continue to document and share evidence of the killings on social media.

In this new reality, animals in Turkey—and their local allies—depend on us to use our voices.

Please take action by signing the Animal Save Movement’s petition to stop the cruel killings of strays, HERE!

Meme by: Animal Save Movement 

July 29th: The Turkish Parliament has voted in favor of a bill to amend the Animal Protection Law No. 5199, which will result in the rounding up and killing of millions of stray dogs and cats throughout the country.

The law demands that municipalities build shelters by 2028, but at the same time, it requires the immediate culling of dogs unless they are adopted and registered to a human. Only 298 out of 1,403 municipalities have shelters, which can host approximately 105,000 dogs, while the stray population is around 4 million. In reality, this will mean catastrophe for stray animals.

Animal Save Movement, World Animal News, and Peace 4 Animals condemns the Turkish Parliament’s decision to pass this horrendous bill despite local and global pressure. Protests took place in several cities, including Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, London, New York, and Amsterdam. Nearly 40,000 people signed a petition, and more than 100 organizations signed an open letter in opposition to the bill.

Nilgun Engin, Ankara Animal Save’s organizer, said, “The new law is neither applicable nor fair. It is essentially a death penalty for all strays, including cats. There are no shelters to keep them off the streets; therefore, the authorities will decide to kill them due to overpopulation. We do not accept this, and we will not obey this law. Dogs and cats are a part of our culture, and we are determined to keep them safe as our neighbors.”

The decision to kill stray animals in Turkey not only contradicts the principles of animal welfare but also poses significant ethical dilemmas regarding the treatment of innocent animals nationwide. This inhumane practice disregards the fundamental rights of these vulnerable creatures and reflects a disregard for their well-being. It prompts us to question the moral compass of society and the extent to which Turkey prioritizes convenience over compassion for these sentient beings.

It is imperative that we advocate for humane solutions that respect the lives and dignity of all animals and challenge such cruel and unethical practices.

Stray animals deserve to be treated with compassion and respect. They are living beings who, through no fault of their own, find themselves without a home. The killing of these animals fails to address the root causes of the stray animal issue. Instead, efforts should be focused on promoting spaying and neutering programs, as well as increasing funding for animal shelters and adoption programs.

It is imperative that steps be taken to protect and care for these vulnerable animals, rather than resorting to such drastic and inhumane measures. We must do better to protect them.