The Interior Ministry and Agriculture Ministry will dispatch inspectors to all 81 provinces throughout September to oversee stray dog collection and identify regions violating legislation.
Establishing a joint oversight mechanism, the two ministries will audit governorates, provincial and district municipalities, and provincial special administrations on-site. Field teams will report their findings to the capital, singling out local authorities displaying negligence and identifying regions failing to comply with the law.
“We will resolve the stray animal issue by the end of the year,” Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi said.
Authorities have collected 97 percent of stray dogs so far, reports indicate. The ministries formed the inspection teams following complaints from various provinces. Inspectors will extensively review shelters to verify local teams collect animals properly, sterilize and treat them while ensuring general animal welfare standards.
The nationwide scrutiny follows a contentious animal rights law the parliament passed earlier in 2024. The legislation strictly mandates municipalities to round up stray dogs from streets and place them in shelters. The law allows euthanasia for stray animals posing safety risks, displaying aggressive behavior or suffering from incurable diseases.
Local officials failing to meet these obligations face heavy penalties. Mayors and municipal council members neglecting to establish adequate shelters or allocate sufficient funds for animal welfare projects risk prison sentences. The legislation requires municipalities to allocate a specific percentage of their budgets to build and maintain animal shelters.
