TVHB: Street animal regulation increases animal deaths

(ANKARA) – The Turkish Veterinary Association (TVHB) made a statement regarding the increasing number of animal deaths following the enactment of the stray animal regulation. The statement said, “The state is the owner of stray animals. The state is obliged to protect all animals, especially stray animals, which are elements of the environment, just as it protects people and the environment.”

The Turkish Veterinary Medical Association (TVHB) made a written press statement regarding the increase in animal deaths throughout Turkey following the law change that paved the way for the killing of stray animals. Calling for “violence against animals is a crime and must be stopped,” TVHB’s statement included the following statements: “The spiral of violence against animals, which has been increasing with the adoption of the law change, has also become detrimental to the protection of “everyone’s right to live in a healthy and balanced environment,” which is guaranteed by Article 56 of the Constitution.”

TVHP’s statement is as follows:

“The amended articles of the Animal Protection Law have not changed the penalties for crimes and unjust acts committed against animals. The penalties specified in Article 28/A of the Animal Protection Law No. 5199 under the title of Judicial Penalties for crimes committed against owned or ownerless animals remain valid. Accordingly, deliberately killing an ownerless animal, torturing it, treating it cruelly and ruthlessly, having an animal fight and sexually assaulting an animal are acts punishable by imprisonment. The provision that the penalty to be given when these crimes are committed against more than one animal at the same time is increased by half is preserved in the Animal Protection Law No. 5199. In addition, those who instigate these acts will be criminally liable in accordance with Article 38 of the Turkish Penal Code.

“Euthanasia as defined in the law is for limited situations that are medically necessary”

There is no provision or authority in the Animal Protection Law No. 5199 to kill or slaughter stray animals for population control. Article 9/3 of the Veterinary Services, Plant Health, Food and Feed Law No. 5996, which was referred to with the amendment, prohibits euthanasia of animals and also limits the situations in which euthanasia can be performed. The situations requiring euthanasia must also be clearly stated. Euthanasia, stray animal population control, is not defined as killing or authorization to kill, but is for limited situations that require medical necessity.

The state is responsible for protecting both people and animals with the most humane and scientific methods, taking the necessary precautions, especially in cases of crimes committed against stray animals, and protecting the public’s right to live in a healthy and balanced environment by effectively punishing those who commit crimes against animals, ensuring trust in the law and ensuring justice.

“This law must be withdrawn immediately before it further disrupts social peace, health and tranquility.”

The owner of the ownerless animals is the state. The state is obliged to protect all animals, especially ownerless animals, which are elements of the environment, as well as protecting people and the environment. It is against the law to mistreat animals using public power, and at the same time, the state is responsible for preventing those who mistreat animals using public power. For this; crimes committed against animals should be punished effectively and deterrently, violence against animals should be prevented, and society should be informed that the amendments made to the Animal Protection Law No. 5199 “do not authorize anyone to torture, torment or kill animals” and that there is a prison sentence for those who do these. However, this law, which is far from science and contains vague expressions for the ownerless animal population with the amendment made to the Animal Protection Law No. 5199 and is incompatible with animal health and welfare, should be withdrawn immediately before it further disrupts social peace, health and tranquility. The necessary steps should be taken to implement the Animal Protection Law, which came into force in 2004 and has not been implemented, and efforts should be started without delay to prevent capture, neutering, vaccination, in-situ re-living, and production, smuggling and sales, while taking into account the safety of society and the health and welfare of animals.