It is known that turkey has recently openly supported pakistan amid India-Pakistan tensions. It has even sent warships to Karachi. But Turkish President Erdogan is facing a big problem in his own country. That is, the rapidly growing population of stray dogs. This problem has now become not just a social problem, but a big political problem. The situation is such that the government had to implement a strict law in a hurry. This has led to a nationwide debate. The Animal Protection Law No. 7527, which came into effect on august 2, 2024, gives local administrations the power to capture stray dogs and place them in shelters, and even kill them if necessary. Although words such as euthanasia have been removed from the law, activists accuse the dogs of being killed in a brutal manner.
Several tragic incidents have occurred in the past few months. The death of a 2-year-old child in Konya and the fatal attacks on elderly women in Adana and Erzurum have shaken the country. Fear is so deep-rooted that children in many cities are not even going to school. The government quickly passed the law, citing it as a "public safety" issue. But critics say the law will disproportionately affect poorer areas, where resources are already scarce. The law is also causing a new political divide in Turkey. Conservative, pro-government parties support the law, while opposition parties describe it as a license to kill dogs.

According to a survey conducted by Metropol, 78 percent of people want to keep dogs in shelters, while 17 percent want to let them live on the streets. Animal rights activists are demanding sterilization, vaccinations, and better shelters from the government. They say that killing is not the solution, but a humane, scientific approach is needed. While india is demonstrating its military might to counter Pakistan’s vicious attacks, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is grappling with a different problem.
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Sowmiya Sriram

09/05/2025 06:29 PM