AK Party sources said that the proposed law on stray animals, which is expected to come to the parliamentary agenda, will impose sanctions on municipalities that do not take measures. The sources claimed that the sanctions would include cutting the municipality’s funds as well as the option to prosecute the mayors.
In an interview with HaberTürk, AK Party Group Chairman Abdullah Güler said, “Of course we discuss it, there are municipalities that abuse and do nothing about it. There may be an arrangement for ministries and governorships to step in.”
On the other hand, Güler underlined that not all stray dogs will be collected and said, “Our aim is to identify the problem correctly, to collect the gang dogs that affect our public health, prevent the streets from being safe, take them to shelters, sterilize them and adopt them. The dogs whose aggression cannot be normalized and who cannot be adopted should be put down.”
According to the news in Türkiye Newspaper, in the draft, special provincial administrations, metropolitan municipalities, provincial municipalities, metropolitan district municipalities with a population exceeding 25,000 and other municipalities will establish animal nursing homes for the rehabilitation of stray or weakened animals or animals that pose a danger, and for them to live until they are adopted. Municipalities will have to allocate 5 per thousand of their budget revenues for three years to cover the cost of the nursing homes. This rate will be three per thousand in metropolitan municipalities.
Governorships will step in if municipalities fail to fulfill their duties
Municipalities that fail to do so will be subject to sanctions. In case municipalities are ineffective, governorships will be able to establish nursing homes through service procurement. The costs will be collected from municipalities or special provincial administrations. If it is not possible to collect them in this way, deductions will be made from the municipalities’ shares in the Bank of Provinces.
Sanctions against municipalities that do not take measures
AK Party sources said, “Those who do not do their duty will pay the price. If necessary, mayors will be investigated for neglect of duty. Those victimized by stray dogs can also file a lawsuit for compensation against the relevant municipality.”
Dogs not adopted within a month will be put to sleep
Despite Abdullah Güler’s statements, AK Party members claim that “there will be no step back from putting down dogs that are not adopted within a month”.
