At the beginning of the year, the street cat known as “Eros” in Türkiye dominated public and political debate for a short time before the local elections. She had been tragically kicked to death by a man in an elevator, and the act was captured on camera, sparking outrage. The man was sentenced to one year and three months for intentionally killing an animal, but the sentence was later reduced to three months due to good behavior. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan even intervened, advocating for a longer sentence of two and a half years in prison.
Street cats and dogs are an integral part of the metropolis on the Bosporus, alongside tea parlors and simit sellers. These stray animals have been a common sight in the city, with many cultural references to them in books and literature. However, despite the President’s support for justice for “Eros,” there are now concerns about the fate of stray dogs, as Erdogan has proposed euthanizing them due to safety and health concerns.
The government plans to capture the stray animals and bring them to shelters for sterilization and chipping. If no owner is found within 30 days, the dogs are to be euthanized. However, animal welfare activists and veterinarians warn that the plan is not feasible due to the lack of capacity to accommodate and sterilize all the dogs. This move has sparked a debate reflecting a cultural conflict over the treatment of animals, particularly dogs, in Turkish society.
President Erdogan’s past remarks on street dogs, accusing owners of elitism, have fueled this cultural divide. His opponents, such as the Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, have shown support for stray dogs, further escalating the issue. Thousands have protested against the impending law, warning of a potential animal massacre in the country’s history. The debate also touches on religious beliefs, as dogs are seen as unclean in traditional Islam, creating a complex cultural and political landscape surrounding the treatment of stray animals in Turkey.