Turkish Parliament approves animal protection law amendments

The Turkish Parliament Monday has approved the first five articles of a 17-article bill amending the Animal Protection Law.

Discussions on the bill will continue today.

The bill aims to modify the Animal Protection Law to include the consideration of human, animal, and environmental health.
It mandates the clear definition of “owned” and “stray” animals within the Veterinary Services, Plant Health, Food and Feed Law.
To avoid confusion in implementation and because of the removal of the “catch-neuter-return” method, the definition of animal shelters will be updated.
Animal shelters will now be defined as facilities that are established with permission from the Ministry and provide temporary housing and rehabilitation for animals until they are adopted.
Animals housed in shelters will be registered in the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s database to ensure accurate and up-to-date information.

Local governments, in cooperation with voluntary organizations, will establish animal shelters to care for and rehabilitate stray animals until they are adopted.
The principle that “domestic animals have the right to live according to their species-specific life conditions, and stray animals should be supported as much as owned animals” will be repealed.

The law prohibits euthanasia except under specific conditions outlined in Article 9 of the Veterinary Services, Plant Health, Food and Feed Law.
These conditions include cases where animals suffer from incurable diseases, pose risks to human and animal health, or exhibit uncontrollable negative behaviors.

Discussions on the remaining articles of the bill will continue today.
TBMM Deputy Speaker Bekir Bozdag announced a recess after the fifth article was approved. The session will resume at 2:00 p.m.

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