Official notice on stray dogs stirs debate

The Kocaeli Governor's Office has sent a notice to the municipalities in the northwestern province and cited a clause on putting down uncontrolled stray animals that pose a threat to people and the environment, reigniting the prolonged debate over stray dogs.

The notice underscored the responsibility of municipalities in accordance with the Animal Protection Law and the Regulation on the Protection of Animals, emphasizing the rehabilitation of stray animals as part of their mandate.

With the statement framed as a gentle reminder and prompted by accumulated complaints from city residents, it pointed to an article of the relevant subject without writing the full version of the law in the announcement.

In the full version of the article mentioned in the announcement, the phrase notes "the killing of animals with incurable diseases or animals that are decided by the veterinarian to pose an 'unavoidable threat' to human and environmental health by methods that cause the least pain and ensure the fastest death."

This aspect of the announcement has sparked criticism in both the media and social platforms, although some citizens argued that it serves as a pertinent warning regarding the increasingly aggressive behavior of stray dogs.