Circular on Stray Animals Published

After a pitbull attack in the past days, President Erdoğan made statements that stray animals would be collected from the streets. Some municipalities have already started this process. Recently, a new circular on the subject has been published.

The circular that formalized the decision, which drew a great reaction especially in the social media, was published today. in the circular Dangerous animals will be constantly monitored.It was announced that the unclaimed ones will be confiscated and taken to animal shelters.

Continuous monitoring will be done

President Erdogan’s first statements on the subject received a great reaction on social media. ‘#StreetAnimalsNot Owned’ The main idea of ​​the posts collected under the tag was that pitbull attacks have nothing to do with stray animals. Because although these dogs are not aggressive in their nature, they are aggressively trained by malicious people and made to fight for money because they are strong. However, this is not the case with stray dogs or stray animals in general. So the decision was seen as the same rationale as to have people rounded up in the city because a person attacked someone.

In addition, in the shelters where animals are said to be placed, animals quickly fall ill and die due to illness, hunger and psychological problems. If these shelters, which do not have sufficient financial resources, are already like this, cramming thousands of animals on the streets will only cause mass deaths.

However, the published circular is much more than stray animals. banned dog breeds He made the lines on his diet clear. The circular, which decided that risky animals would be kept in nursing homes after they were collected, rehabilitated or sterilized, was sent to the governorships of 81 provinces.

Here are the articles in the circular:

• 1- Pursuant to Law No. 5199, production, ownership, possession, sheltering, feeding, bartering, display, gifting and entry into our country, sale and advertisement are prohibited. endangered animals (American Pitbull Terrier, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasilerio, Japanese Tosa, American Staffordshire Terrier and American Bully)Conducting inspections on a 24/7 basis by our related municipalities; confiscating the unclaimed animals in cooperation with the relevant units and law enforcement and taking them to animal shelters by our municipalities for their rehabilitation and keeping them in nursing homes,
• 2- According to the procedure shown in the Law No. 5199 and the Circular No. 2021/48 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, dated 7.12.2021, from these animals that pose danger. In terms of owned ones, the obligation to wear a mouthpiece and leash and ensuring that the ban on entering places with high population density and children’s playgrounds and parks is strictly observed; In the second violation of this prohibition, these animals are seized in cooperation with the relevant units and law enforcement, and these animals are taken to an animal shelter, rehabilitated and kept in these shelters,
• 3- These dangerous animals in case the owners want to be left to the nearest nursing home on their own will keeping them in a nursing home after being rehabilitated by fulfilling their demands without delay
• 4- Regardless of whether they are owned or not, inspections are tightened in cooperation with the units and law enforcement officers related to dangerous animals and not to cause any victimization or abuse. and rehabilitation by marking with digital identification methods,treatment and parasite control, vaccination, sterilization
• 5- The stray animals brought to animal shelters treatment and parasite controlRehabilitation by vaccination, sterilization and marking with digital identification methods,
• 6- Registering the animals rehabilitated in nursing homes in the relevant database and without being rehabilitated none of them should be left in the environment where they were taken,
• 7- The stray dogs that have not yet been rehabilitated are kept in animal shelters or temporary units by the municipalities. sparing and recording in database; After sterilization in temporary units, necessary measures are taken for the animals to regain their health before being released into the environment where they were taken,
• 8- The work of the stray animal collection team of our municipalities or as a result of any notification In case of detection of stray animals, these animals are taken to shelters, and our municipalities, which are not obliged to establish an animal shelter, take them to the nearest nursing home and deliver them,
• 9- Pursuant to the provisional article 4 of the Law No. 5199 that municipalities have to allocate from their budgets giving importance to the use of the resource for the purpose of sterilization of stray animals; Since the rates determined on the subject are the minimum rates, our municipalities should give priority to the determination of these shares at higher rates, taking into account the priority order in the fulfillment of the services, the financial situation and the urgency of the service.
• 10- For those who have difficulty in finding food from stray animals, houses and other places for human residence, and at points that will not threaten traffic safety, are regularly suitable for animals, availability of perishable food and water
• 11- For the purpose of feeding stray animals, the foodstuffs suitable for animal feeding, which are formed in the places that are engaged in food production or consumption activities in the region, are collected and their suitable for animal consumption Carrying out the necessary work to achieve
• 12- In nursing homes for the adoption of stray animals making announcements on bulletin boards, the internet and other appropriate media,
• 13- In the activities to be carried out regarding stray animals with the provincial animal welfare committee Taking care to act in cooperation with coordination and voluntary organizations,
• 14- Establishment of animal shelters Necessary support and convenience will be provided by our Ministry in matters remaining within the scope of duty and jurisdiction of our Ministry, including the allocation of free immovable property related to its operation and operation, and in this direction, our municipalities will carry out the process in cooperation with our Ministry,
• 15- Quickly correcting the deficiencies, if any, related to the construction of animal shelters by our municipalities as soon as possible, the recruitment and furnishing of personnel, and Ensuring that animal shelters serve at full capacity,
• 16- Failure to fulfill the duties and responsibilities entrusted to them within the scope of the relevant Laws and this Circular, or municipalities found to be in violation of these Since legal and/or criminal responsibilities will arise, our municipalities should meticulously and primarily fulfill their duties and responsibilities on the subject,
• 17- With the measures to be taken by our municipalities in the implementation of the provisions of this circular, not violating the right to lifeHowever, in order to prevent the reoccurrence of the sad events caused by these animals that threaten human life, and to ensure the safety of our citizens, especially our children, I would like to request that no disruption be allowed in the implementation of these measures.”