HELP SAVE 4 MILLION TURKISH DOGS FROM BEING SLAUGHTERED
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#Saveturkishdogs
Sign the petition
Animal Heroes, Haytap together with the Italian animal party ‘Partito Animalista Italiano’ urgently call on ALL animal lovers to sign this petition to prevent the Turkish government from passing a devastating piece of legislation that threatens millions of stray dogs.
Your signature can save 4 million stray dogs and their puppies in Turkey from imminent death.
What's Happening?
The Turkish government has proposed legislation to capture and sterilise millions of stray dogs, and to lock them up in shelters, where eventually they will be killed.
- To curb the number of stray dogs
- To stop them attacking people
- To reduce the number of road accidents caused by strays
- Civilised countries don’t have high numbers of stray dogs
Urgency
A committee of the Parliament has approved the proposed Bill in Ankara on the 24th of July. The Parliament is expected to make a final decision next week. Time is running out to save these innocent lives.
After the summer recess the Founder of Haytap will deliver the signatures to the Minister of Agriculture in Turkey.
Act Now
Your signature can make a difference. Join us in calling for humane, effective solutions. Sign the petition to urge the Turkish government to adopt compassionate methods and protect these innocent animals.
Together, we can make a change.
When is this happening?
The government has not communicated publicly when they will pass the new legislation but it could happen any day.
Our position
Animal Heroes and Haytap believe that every animal is a sentient being with the right to live and express its natural behaviour. We are committed to minimising harm to animals while ensuring public safety.
We oppose the mass killing of dogs in Turkey because:
- It is barbaric and inhumane;
- It does not solve the problem.
We also believe that imprisoning animals in shelters is not a solution. Socialised stray dogs should continue to live among people.
Our proposed solution
Pilot Catch-Neuter-Vaccinate-Release (CNVR) Project:
- Location: West Black Sea area (Zonguldak, Bartın, Karabük cities, and surrounding outskirts).
- Goal: Isolated geographical boundaries make it ideal for a controlled study.
- Timeline: 5 years to evaluate the project's success and expand it.
Additional Measures:
- Legislation to ban the buying and selling of dogs online.
- Close down puppy mills in the country.
- Prohibit the import of dogs into Turkey and enforce these laws.
- Educate children on how to interact with dogs and prevent aggression.
Fact vs. Fiction
Government Claims:
- There are 4 million stray dogs
- Civilised countries, like the Netherlands, have no stray dogs.
The Truth:
- No reliable data supports the government's claim of 4 million stray dogs in Turkey, because most dogs don’t have a microchip.
- Many countries, such as Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Greece, have thousands of stray dogs.
Why Mass Killing Won't Work
Historical Failure:
- During the Ottoman Empire, 100,000 dogs were moved to an island without food or water, resulting in their deaths. Yet, the dog population rebounded within five years.
Sterilisation Program Challenges:
- CNVR programmes have failed long-term due to incomplete coverage. Only city dogs were sterilised, not those in surrounding villages, leading to population resurgence.
Comprehensive Solution
This is why we propose a new programme whereby not only the dogs in the cities are vaccinated and sterilised, but also the dogs in surrounding villages. This comprehensive approach ensures that stray dog populations are managed effectively, preventing the migration of unsterilised dogs into cities and ensuring long-term success.
Sign the Petition
“UPDATE: The law has passed but will be challenged in the Supreme Court in October. Haytap will present the signatures in October, prior to the court case.”