Photos and videos: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1qE8Dt0HzgoUzQ8HqaxIkgluDMVLRoGqb
Media contact & interviews:
- Global: Animal Save Movement, Anita Krajnc, Executive Director, tel: 1-416-825-6080 and Nicola Harris, communications director, +44 7597 514343 media@animalsavemovement.org
- Turkey: Nilgun Engin, Animal Save Movement Turkey campaigner, nilgun@animalsavemovement.org, +90 532 437 51 33
- North America: Jane Velez-Mitchell, Animal Save Movement Board and founder of Jane UnChained, JaneVelezMitchell@yahoo.com, +1 (310) 210-6696
- European Union: Lea Goodett, Animal Save Nederlands, lea@animalsavemovement.org
July 27, 2024 - Dog and cat lovers gathered outside Turkish embassies and consulates worldwide on Friday and Saturday to call on the government of Turkey to halt plans to introduce a controversial new law, expected to pass through Parliament on Monday 29 July. The new law will give a green light to the killing of four million stray dogs and cats.
The action was part of a global day of action organized by Animal Save Movement, with actions held in capital cities of Argentina, Mexico, Canada, USA, Netherlands, Austria, France, Georgia, and Uganda as well as cities in Germany and Portugal. Earlier in the week Animal Save Movement campaigners joined an action at the London Embassy.
Jane Velez-Mitchell, Animal Save Movement board member and founder of Jane UnChained TV joined a lively protest outside the Turkish consulate in Los Angeles. She said, “Turkey can avoid this disastrous decision by voting NO on this proposed animal massacre law. Any mass roundups of dogs and cats will poison Turkey’s reputation in the eyes of millions of dog and cat-loving tourists, who will boycott Turkey. Use the money, instead, to rapidly increase spay neuters now. This is the smart, common sense approach and very achievable.”
Meanwhile, in Washington DC, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) protested outside the Turkish Embassy. Outside the embassy, Courtney Penley from PETA said, “We are sending a message to the Turkish government to reject the law that would massacre millions of dogs and cats. This will be a disaster for Turkey, damaging the reputation of Turkey.
Lea Goodett, Animal Save Netherlands, said, “The upcoming vote about the law has sparked outrage, not only within Turkey but also across Europe where multiple protests are happening on Saturday in Paris, Amsterdam, Munich, Coimbra, Tbilisi and outside the European Parliament in Strasbourg.”
Nilgun Engin from Animal Save Turkey said “Turkish people have taken care of street dogs and cats for centuries and since the announcement of this law 400 dogs have already gone missing in Sakarya city and at the University of Boğazici University in İstanbul a cat was found with a cut head. We call for peace and calm, and the end to this appalling legislation. We must focus on an effective spay and neuter campaign and veterinary care for dogs and cats in crisis. Most importantly we also need a law to ban breeding and the trade of animals. Otherwise no matter how many we kill, double will end up back on the streets.”
Nilgun Engin says, “The solution is to follow the current law and monitor the municipalities to fulfil their sterilization and vaccination obligations. This way the population of stray animals can be controlled and aggressive behaviors of dogs are avoided. The new law orders the municipalities to collect all the animals (cats and dogs) and put them in shelters but there are not enough shelters available. Only 298 out of 1403 municipalities have shelters and most of them are in bad conditions. If they collect the strays this will definitely mean death for them. Rather, the government has to collaborate with municipalities and NGOs to sterilize the animals. This could solve the problem within a year.”
“10,000s of people around the world have rallied behind the stray animals of Turkey and the countless communities caring for them with petitions, open letters, selfies with dogs and cats on social media, letters to ambassadors, and protests at Turkish embassies and consulates. We call on the Turkish Parliament to halt the atrocious law to kill stray dogs and cats and implement compassionate, lasting spay and neuter solutions,” says Anita Krajnc, Executive Director of Animal Save Movement.
Animal Save Movement’s petition against Turkey’s proposed law has attracted more than 30,000 signatures in a week, 100 organizations including WWF Turkey, PETA and Green Islam have signed an open letter to the Government of Turkiye, and about 4,000 Animal Save Movement supporters have written to their local embassies urging them to intervene.
Nergis Yazgan, the CEO of WWF Turkey said, “The extermination of Istanbul’s city dogs has been tried many years ago and it ended in disaster and extreme cruelty. Why do you want to repeat this mistake? We Istanbulites and Turks like to live with our dogs and cats in our homes and streets.”
On social media people are posting selfies with their companion animals using the hashtag #withdrawthelaw
International outcry from international NGOs who sign Animal Save Movement’s Open Letter to Save 4 million stray dogs from being killed
Sarah Johnson, Founder of Vegan FTA in the United States said:
“At Vegan FTA, we believe that animals are sentient beings and as such deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. We urge the Turkish government to adopt policies that are in alignment with this, doubly so since there are alternatives which are both feasible and cost effective. We also would encourage them to address some of the root causes of the issue by stopping the production of animals for trade and profit.”
Hilary Sable, founder of Cihangir Cool for Cats, Turkey said:
“Spaying and neutering is the only way to reduce the homeless animal population, anything else is murder.”
Steve Spiro, co-owner of Shelter Transport Animal Rescue Team in the United States said:
“Do the right thing and stop being cruel.”
Leila Dehghan from Plant-based Health Justice in the UK, said:
“We at Plant-based Health Justice condemn Turkey's proposed mass euthanasia of stray dogs and urge the adoption of humane TNR programs to protect these innocent dogs.”
Natalija Svrtan, President of Earth Trek in Croatia, said:
“The only human and acceptable way to solve this man-made problem is the "Catch-Neuter-Return" method, proven efficient in many European countries.”
Constatine Aporu, founder of the Eco Space Foundation in Uganda, said:
“Why divert all energy and resources to inflict unbearable pain on helpless innocent animals? We’re standing up in unison for the plight of the sentient beings.”
Ellen Dent, Executive Director of Animal Alliance Network in the United States, said:
“Please vote against the legislation that will doom the lives of these dogs and cats and instead implement the catch, neuter and release to avoid population rises. These dogs and cats are innocent and have done nothing wrong. They simply want to coexist with humanity and I hope you will choose the humane option, which would be to let them live. Thank you!”
Natia Chikovani, cofounder of Animal Project in Tbilisi, Georgia, said:
“We stand for Animal Rights, Wellbeing and Safety in every country in the world and support Turkey to protect stray pets from being killed. We call on the Turkish government to start using best practices for solving the stray animals' social issue.”
Dr Doe, director of Animal Rights Organization of Ghana said:
“The proposed measures by the government of Türkiye to kill four million free-roaming animals, including dogs and cats, is a devastating and heart-wrenching plan. It's crucial that we speak out against this brutal act and demand a more humane solution. Every life has value, and these innocent animals deserve our compassion and protection. We urge the government to rescind this decision and work towards a more compassionate and effective approach to address animal welfare concerns. Let's join forces to stop this senseless slaughter and find a better way forward.”
Sally Thompson, communications manager of We Animals in Canada, said:
“Euthanasia is not only an inhumane method to approach this issue, it's also neither a long-term nor sustainable solution. These free-roaming animals can not only live healthily but also nourish the surrounding human community with appropriate sterilisation and shelter programs in place. We urge the government of Türkiye to invest the appropriate time and money into this sustainable solution, for everyone it involves.”
Jo Kidd, director of Tree of Life Veganics in the UK, said:
“Türkiye, you can do so much better than following the outdated and failing British model. Please set a new precedent and example of best practice for the world!”
Sarah Edwards from BE YELLOW in the UK, said:
“I have been to Turkey many times, and have always engaged with the stray animals there. They are no threat to the public, and the public, especially Turkish citizens respect the animals more than any other country I have visited with high stray populations. There are several organisations and individuals who work hard to help look after and treat the animals, many using their own money. Extermination shouldn't be an option, instead, money should be invested into neutering, spading and castration in order to manage the stray population, and also in vaccinations and care to minimise the health risks. For a country who has a cat (Gli) buried in Sofia Hagia Mosque in Istanbul due to the love of him, I'm shocked and saddened that this proposed bill is even on the table.”
Naomi Hallum, CEO of Generation Vegan in the United States, said:
“Mahatma Gandhi once said, ‘The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.’”
Jonathan Leighton, Executive Director of the Organisation for the Prevention of Intense Suffering (OPIS) in Switzerland, said:
“Killing an animal should only be considered as a last resort, when an animal is suffering intensely and the suffering cannot be alleviated in another way. Please don't kill animals as a matter of convenience. Sterilisation and shelters are a much better approach.”
Rebecca Moore, Executive Director of the Institute for Animal Happiness in the United States, said:
“All the animals of the world should not be thought of as disposable. They are living sentient beings. There are so many humane and kind ways to approach the issue of homeless beings. Mass-slaughter must never be an option on the table, in any enlightened society. All beings deserve a right to their lives and to be safe and free. Homeless beings should be cared for and solutions found that provide them with safe, caring homes. To kill them is heartless.”
Ilse Bastiaensen from DierAnimal in Belgium, said,
“The morality of a nation can be judged by the way it treats its animals.“
Alistair Stewart, lead coordinator for Plant-Based Universities in the UK, said:
“The Plant-Based Universities campaign is committed to human, animal and climate justice, and we strongly condemn these unethical measures being proposed by the government of Türkiye.”
Nathalie Klinge, chair of Stichting ActieZwerfhonden in the Netherlands, said:
“Removing and killing dogs should never be considered as the most effective way of dealing with a problem of surplus dogs in the community. It has no effect whatsover on the root cause of the problem. Guidelines for Dog population management. WHO Geneva 1990 Page 74”
Nimet Gülden Ersaka, President of Gocek Animal Rescue, Turkey said:
“The act of killing stray animals is inhumane. We are sharing our streets with dogs and cats for centuries in Turkey.”
Douglas Groesser, owner of Vibrations in the United States, said:
“Feral animals have for the most part been taken care of in Turkey. They should not be victims of an agenda. They should be part of an agenda that helps to protect animal rights!”
Svenja Jochens, from the board of Animal Eden e.V. in the United States, said:
“The planned mass murder of dogs in Turkey is an inhumane and intolerable act that disregards the value of animal life. At Animal Eden, we stand against such cruelty and advocate for compassionate and ethical treatment of all animals. Every dog deserves a life free from violence and fear.”
Background
Animal Save Movement is a global network of activists that bear witness to animals at the gates of slaughterhouses. Their vision is a vegan world for the animals, the planet and health.