Protesters unite against stray dog law in Turkey, demand immediate reversal

T Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Istanbul on Sunday to protest a new law aimed at removing stray dogs from Turkish streets, which critics argue could lead to widespread culling or inhumane conditions in shelters.

Passed last month, the law addresses the country’s "stray dog problem" and cites safety concerns, according to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Protesters, holding signs that read "shelters are death camps" and "withdraw the bloody law," demanded the law's repeal. "We want this law to be withdrawn immediately," said protester Hasan Kizilyatak. "They (stray dogs) are living beings, just like us. We are here because we are against them being annihilated."

Even some government supporters, such as Ayten Arslan, participated in the protest. "I say as an AK Party supporter, this law is a bloody law," she stated.

The opposition Republican People's Party has challenged the law in the Constitutional Court. The government estimates that 4 million stray dogs are on Turkiye’s streets, some of which have attacked humans. However, animal rights activists fear the law could result in indiscriminate killing, with municipalities potentially using illness as a pretext.

Videos circulating on social media showing dead cats and dogs buried in ditches have further fueled outrage among animal rights advocates.