51 killed stray cats and dogs found outside animal shelter in Türkiye

51 stray animals were found dead in garbage bins outside the Street Animal Rehabilitation and Training Center owned by Gebze Municipality. Animal rights advocates and witnesses have accused municipal workers of killing the animals and discarding their bodies in garbage bags.

Footage shared online shows numerous dead cats and dogs, placed in black garbage bags, lying next to the rehabilitation center’s trash containers. Videos circulating on social media depict animal corpses being removed from torn bags that were pulled out of the containers.

Following the discovery, animal rights advocates rushed to the shelter to investigate the situation.

“We found four of them alive, barely breathing,” said Nimet Ozdemir, main opposition party CHP deputy from Istanbul, who spoke with BBC Turkish. Ozdemir stated that witnesses captured footage of workers sedating two dogs with an injection before placing them in the garbage. She confirmed that 36 dogs and 15 cats were retrieved from the bins.

Ozdemir reported that the dead animals were dumped along with medical waste, including syringes and drugs used to euthanize them. “We pulled four of them out alive, but they were in agony,” she said. According to Ozdemir, the dead animals were found together with their offspring, and the situation posed not only an animal rights issue but also a public health risk.

“Gebze Municipality has failed to follow the necessary procedures for disposing of deceased animals,” she continued. “Dead animals must first be stored in cold storage, then transported in special vehicles and buried properly. Otherwise, this endangers both the public and children.”

In a statement, Gebze Municipality, governed by the ruling AK Party condemned the incident and labeled the footage as “unacceptable.” The statement mentioned that 16 of the dead dogs were collected from the streets, while 3 died in traffic accidents and 10 succumbed to health issues. Regarding the dead cats, 9 were reportedly found dead due to “various reasons,” and 2 died after failing to respond to treatment.

The municipality confirmed that an investigation had been launched and that those involved were suspended pending the outcome. It also stated that the Kocaeli Public Prosecutor’s Office had been informed, and a legal process was underway.

Deputy Ozdemir emphasized that the incident reflects broader concerns about animal rights in Türkiye, especially following recent changes to animal protection laws. The amended law permits the euthanasia of dogs under certain conditions, but cats were not included in this provision, reflecting their deep cultural significance, especially in cities like Istanbul. For centuries, Istanbul’s street cats have been considered part of the city’s unique identity, with locals often providing food and shelter for them.

Animal rights groups have also raised alarms over similar incidents in Nigde and Ankara earlier this year, where municipalities were accused of killing stray animals. Both municipalities denied the allegations.

The incident in Gebze has reignited the debate over Türkiye’s treatment of stray animals, a contentious issue that has seen growing tensions between local authorities and animal rights advocates.

Local officials, including main opposition party CHP’s Kocaeli Deputy Nail Ciler, condemned the situation, calling on Gebze Municipality to provide a clear explanation. “This is a disgrace to Gebze. The authorities need to address this immediately,” Ciler said.

Meanwhile, Kocaeli’s governorate confirmed that both judicial and administrative investigations had been launched into the deaths of the animals.