Stray animal issue reaches conclusion: Türkiye enacts animal protection law

A new law amending the Animal Protection Law focused on stray animals, has been published in the Official Gazette.

Approved by the Turkish Parliament on July 30 and signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the law mandates that stray animals be taken to animal shelters by relevant municipalities. These animals will remain in shelters until they are rehabilitated and adopted.

Health and safety measures

The law also introduces measures for animals that pose a danger to human or animal health, exhibit uncontrollable negative behaviors, suffer from infectious or incurable diseases, or are banned from being owned. Such animals will be dealt with under the provisions of Article 9 of the Veterinary Services, Plant Health, Food, and Feed Law.

Municipal responsibilities

New budget allocations: Municipalities are now required to allocate a portion of their budget to establish and operate animal shelters by Dec. 31, 2028.

• Standard municipalities must allocate 0.5% of their finalized annual budget.
• Metropolitan municipalities must allocate 0.3%.

Incentives: If municipalities spend beyond these percentages, 40% of the additional expenses will be reimbursed by the Ministry of Treasury and Finance.

Penalties for non-compliance

Municipal officials who fail to fulfill these obligations face imprisonment of six months to two years. Additionally, the administrative fine for abandoning pets has been increased from ₺2,000 to ₺60,000.

Key provisions of the new law:

1. Euthanasia restrictions: The new law prohibits euthanasia of animals in shelters except in specific circumstances where animals pose a risk of severe suffering or health threats. Euthanasia must be performed by a veterinarian or under their supervision.
2. Clear definitions: The law defines “owned” and “unowned” animals, requiring registration in the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s database for owned status. It eliminates the “catch-neuter-release” method and revises shelter definitions to focus on housing and rehabilitation.
3. Local government responsibilities: Local governments are tasked with establishing animal shelters and collaborating with voluntary organizations. Sheltered animals will be registered for accurate tracking. Abandoning stray animals collected by authorities or leaving animals in shelters outside is prohibited.
4. Expanded support: The Provincial Animal Protection Boards are now responsible for addressing stray animal issues and ensuring human, animal, and environmental health. Support for shelter establishment and maintenance has been expanded, with financial aid provided by the ministry.
5. Registration requirement: Pet owners must register their cats and dogs by Dec. 31, 2025, using digital identification methods. The role of “local animal protection officers” is removed to streamline animal protection efforts.