Türkiye Passes Controversial Law to Round Up Stray Dogs

Opposition and animal rights groups vow legal challenge, citing fears of mass euthanasia and inadequate shelter capacity.

The new law mandates the collection of stray dogs, with aggressive or terminally ill animals to be euthanized.
Animal rights activists and opposition parties argue for neutering and vaccination instead of mass culling.
Türkiye has around 4 million stray dogs, and existing shelters can only accommodate a fraction of them.
Municipalities are required to allocate part of their budget to animal rehabilitation, with a deadline of 2028 for compliance.
Protests have erupted nationwide, with critics accusing the government of using the law to target opposition-controlled municipalities.