New law will give jail terms to animal torturers: Turkish minister

Those who torture animals will face prison terms in the future, according to the Forestry and Water Affairs Minister Veysel Eroğlu, who heralded new regulations on animal rights including more severe punishment for mistreatment of animals.

"Necessary legal procedures are carried out against those who kill or torture animals. There is a fine for that now. When the new regulations are introduced, it will be punished with a prison sentence," Eroğlu told daily Hürriyet on June 23, adding that the new laws were prepared with the contribution of animal rights associations.

"People often talk about 'Europe and its civilization,' but they don't value animals at all. They only value the animals they feed at home. They don't allow street animals to live and they 'euthanize' them, meaning that they kill them. This is absolutely forbidden in Turkey," he said. 

Animal rights have been a major issue of criticism in Turkey, with many activists slamming the laws for not giving necessarily harsh punishments to those mistreating animals.

Eroğlu also commented on the situation of pet shops, which have been criticized for the mistreatment of animals, saying no punishments can currently be given to those who don't comply with the rules due to the lack of a related law. 

"We are checking the pet shops and warning them in adverse situations. However, we cannot impose a fine because of the lack of a law. When the new law is enacted, there won't be animals other than fish and some bird species in pet shops. Cats and dogs will be kept in nice breeding environments and their sale will be carried out through a catalogue. It's our duty to provide comfort for these animals in pet shops until the introduction of the law," he added. 

Eroğlu said...