ISTANBUL, Sept 5 (Reuters) – Dali and Deezi, once stray dogs on the streets of Istanbul, now live in comfort in the Netherlands after spending years in a shelter in Turkey. Their story highlights a recent shift in Turkey’s approach to managing its stray dog population. In July, Turkey’s parliament enacted a law mandating the impounding of the country’s estimated four million stray dogs. This new legislation has sparked protests from animal rights advocates and opposition groups, who worry that it may lead to a high number of these animals being euthanized.
The new legislation, driven by concerns over dog attacks, road accidents, and rabies, aims to have all strays placed in municipal shelters by 2028. According to the law, any dogs exhibiting aggressive behavior or suffering from untreatable diseases will be euthanized.
Nilgul Sayar, an animal rights activist who operates a dog shelter near Istanbul through her NGO, has sent hundreds of dogs abroad for adoption. She reports that demand for these adoptions has surged since the new law was enacted.
“We wanted to support these dogs and find them loving homes abroad,” said Ali Okay, who volunteered to accompany the animals from Turkey to Belgium. The dogs were then transported to the Netherlands by the NGO Animal Care Projects.
Recently, thousands of Turks have voiced their opposition to the new law. Stray dogs and cats are a common sight on the streets of Turkey, where they are cared for by many residents who provide them with food, water, and makeshift shelters. In some areas, large strays even rest in shop doorways, with people carefully navigating around them.
In response to the legislation, several companies have begun adopting strays for their office spaces, a coastal hotel has built a dog shelter to introduce the animals to tourists, and some veterinarians are offering free vaccinations to those who adopt street animals.
Previously, Turkey employed a strategy of trapping, neutering, and then returning dogs to the streets. Critics argue that if this approach had been properly executed, it could have effectively managed the stray dog population.
Dali is currently in a foster home in the Netherlands, waiting for adoption, while Deezi is happily settling into her new home in Haarlem, according to her new owner, Caroline Dieleman. Dieleman, who was grieving the loss of one of her dogs in June, decided to rescue Deezi after learning about Turkey’s new law.
“The new law makes me feel physically ill and powerless,” Dieleman said. “It’s a small gesture, rescuing just one dog out of so many, but doing something is better than doing nothing.”