Turkey's Contentious Stray Dog Law Upheld by Top Court

Turkey's top court upheld a controversial law mandating the removal of stray dogs from streets, ignoring opposition claims of animal rights violations. The law requires capturing, vaccinating, and adopting stray dogs, but allows euthanasia for certain cases. Activists fear widespread culling due to insufficient municipal funding for proper animal care.

In a controversial decision, Turkey's Constitutional Court on Wednesday upheld a law requiring the removal of millions of stray dogs from public spaces, despite opposition criticisms that it could lead to widespread killing of the animals.

The main opposition party had sought to overturn the law, arguing it violated both animal rights and the fundamental right to life. Nevertheless, the court deemed the provisions legally valid, prompting ongoing implementation.

The law, designed to address safety concerns following incidents including dog attacks on children, requires cities to capture, vaccinate, and relocate stray dogs into shelters, though allows for euthanasia in certain circumstances. Critics, however, raise significant concerns about potential culling due to financial strain on municipalities.