Lawyer Meltem Zorba stated that municipalities did not collect stray dogs despite the court decision, and stated that the new draft law regarding the Animal Rights Law should include provisions that include heavy sanctions for municipalities that do not fulfill their responsibilities.
Incident: The Case of the Attacked Client
A lawsuit was filed in the relevant court because his client was attacked by stray dogs in Ankara’s Çankaya district. Zorba stated that people living in the Söğütözü region were attacked by stray dogs. He stated that the applications to the relevant municipalities were not successful and the court decided on a service defect.
New Draft Law and Expectations
Zorba emphasized that in the new draft law on animal rights, clear duties and responsibilities should be determined to control stray dogs on the streets. He also stated that there should be serious criminal sanctions if responsibilities are not fulfilled.
Stating that their expectation is a law that includes taking measures to ensure zero stray dogs on the street, Zorba said that these measures should be regulated by assigning duties and responsibilities to local administrations.
Dog Attacks and Rabies Risk
Drawing attention to the importance of the grievances caused by stray dog attacks in Turkey, Zorba stated that, according to the data of the Ministry of Health, 437 thousand people are employed annually due to contact with rabies risk. He emphasized that 1,200 people are attacked by dogs daily and 91 percent of rabies cases are caused by stray dogs.
