Stray Dog Removal to Begin Immediately in Turkey, Ministry Clarifies

The ministry emphasized that municipalities failing to comply will face a fine of almost 72,000 Turkish Liras ($2,000) per abandoned animal.

The move comes amid ongoing debates regarding Turkey’s stray dog law, which has been a public concern and subject of political discussion. According to the new law, municipalities with populations over 25,000 have until December 31, 2028, to either establish or enhance their animal shelters.

However, the latest directive emphasizes that, while municipalities have until 2028 to develop shelter facilities, the legal obligation to capture and house stray animals is already in effect.

The ministry refuted claims that municipalities had been given until 2028 to begin collecting stay animals, calling such interpretatiıns legally inaccurate.

The directive stressed that allowing animals to remain on the streets contradicts existing regulations and that local administrations are obliged to act immediately.

Furthermore, the ministry warned that returning rehabilitated animals to the streets or abandoning them elsewhere is strictly prohibited.

“Municipalities are reuqired to collect stay animals and place them in shelters. Any instance of abandonment, whether newly captured or previously rehabilitated, constitutes a violation of the law and will be subject to a fine of 71,965 liras per animal in 2025,” the statement read.

In May of last year, the Justice and Development Party (AKP) highlighted the need for changes in the handling of stray dogs, proposing an amendment to the Animal Rights Law due to concerns over the inadequacy of the current sterilization system to control the stray dog population and address public safety.

After intense debates and widespread criticism, the Turkish parliament ratified the controversial bill on July 30, which came into effect in December.

Source: HDN