Police detain several for protesting animal massacre in front of AKP headquarters
Turkish police detained several animal rights advocates who gathered in front of the AKP headquarters in the capital Ankara to protest the massacre that happened in an animal shelter of the Gebze Municipality. The Parliament recently passed a bill proposed by the AKP aimed at removing stray dogs from the streets and possibly getting them killed.
Duvar English
Ankara police late on Oct. 11 detained several animal rights advocates who wanted to protest the animal massacre that happened in a municipal animal shelter.
On Oct. 11, 30 dogs, 14 cats, and one crow were found dead in trash bags outside an animal shelter of the Gebze Municipality in Turkey’s northwestern Kocaeli province.
The move came after the Turkish parliament passed a bill in July aiming to round up millions of stray dogs, and possibly kill them amidst the objections of animal advocates. The bill was proposed by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).
To protest the massacre, animal rights advocates gathered in front of the AKP headquarters in the capital Ankara.
The police prevented the group from protesting, and detained several of them, the Workers’ Party of Turkey (TİP) announced.
Regarding the massacre, the Gebze Municipality first denied responsibility and claimed that the animals were found dead in the streets.
However, the advocates also shared the footage of the moments of shelter staff injecting live animals, and then putting them into trash bags.
Later, Gebze district Mayor Zinnur Büyükgöz said, “The images on social media are the result of a group of people who suddenly entered our rehabilitation center and scattered the corpses of animals waiting to be buried. From the beginning to the end of the process, we will hold to account anyone inside or outside the organization who caused these images that shook us all deeply. I have ordered an internal investigation into the matter.”
The recently enacted stray dog law mandates that municipalities must collect stray dogs, and keep them in shelters until they are adopted.
If they are not adopted and found “dangerous,” “euthanasia” can be performed with veterinary approval. Mayors and council members who fail to “perform their duties” may face prison sentences.
The new legislation allows for the “euthanization” of stray animals not only for medical reasons but also in other “exceptional” circumstances.