PHOTOS: https://bit.ly/TurkStrayLDN

LONDON (Sept. 2, 2024) — Over 70 people from across the UK united on Sunday at London’s Turkish Embassy to demand Türkiye repeal its “stray slaughter law” which passed last month. Horrifying photos and videos of the country-wide massacre have flooded social media showing dogs burned, bludgeoned, crushed, poisoned, and buried alive in mass graves. In Defense of Animals, Animal Save Movement, and local animal activists have organised a week of global demonstrations to coincide with Sunday’s huge protest in İstanbul. Hundreds of thousands of people including major Turkish celebrities took to the streets to speak out against the largest mass slaughter of homeless animals in modern history.

WATCH: London protest

WATCH: Istanbul protest

Wildlife protection campaigner, writer, and broadcaster, Dominic Dyer said, “President Erdoğan has declared stray dogs enemies of the state and is now undertaking the biggest slaughter of dogs anywhere in the world. The battle to protect these innocent animals in the face of such ignorance, cruelty, and exploitation is a battle for both human and animal rights in Turkey.”

TV presenter and wildlife campaigner Chris Packham, model Heather Mills, and Downton Abbey actor Peter Egan have all spoken out against the law. 

“It was deeply poignant that so many people came to speak out for Türkiye’s animals in London, some travelled for hours to get to the Turkish Embassy. We have all been horrified to see the burning, poisoning, and crushing of dogs caused by the stray slaughter law. The vast majority of Turkish people reject the violence to animals and we are glad to show our strong support from the UK. We cannot stand by as millions of innocent dogs and cats are brutally killed. President Erdoğan is hearing the world calling for him to withdraw the stray slaughter law”, said Fleur Dawes, Director of International Partnerships at In Defense of Animals.

Melda Ece Kelemcisoy, a Turkish academic and activist specialising in animal rights led the demonstration and laid out the grim situation facing homeless animals. She said, “There are an estimated four million homeless dogs and only 322 shelters with a total capacity of 105,000 animals. The conditions in the shelters are horrific. They are overcrowded, understaffed, and unsanitary places. Almost every stray animal taken there either contracts diseases, suffers immense stress, or dies due to abuse or neglect. Millions of homeless dogs could be killed if we don’t act now.”

Millions of street dogs and cats in Türkiye are facing imminent death due to the implementation of a new law that mandates the capture and killing of stray animals. The law has already led to the deaths of thousands, with reports of animals being poisoned, bludgeoned, and buried alive. This cruel and ineffective approach does nothing to address the root causes of overpopulation and is a tragic departure from Türkiye’s long-standing culture of compassion towards street animals.

Turkish protests and animal killing photos available via We Animals Media

Activists in Türkiye have been exposing the killings and protesting tirelessly against the law. A vigil in Kuğulu Park, Ankara, has been ongoing for over three months. Demonstrations have been held in the UK, Amsterdam, Argentina, Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, Germany, Ireland, Romania, and Poland, with more planned across the US in Washington DC, New York City, and Los Angeles.

In Defense of Animals and Animal Save Movement are calling for international support to pressure the Turkish government to repeal the massacre law. The organizations are also urging the global community to boycott Turkish tourism and trade, adopt Turkish animals, and sign petitions to demand humane treatment for all animals in Türkiye. Over 100,000 people have signed a petition calling for the law to be reversed.

“Turkish strays are a part of Turkish culture and daily life”, said Nilgün Engin, Organizer of Ankara Animal Save. “We demand the authorities to reverse the new law which means a death sentence for them.”

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CONTACTS

• Fleur Dawes fleur@idausa.org 07356 161199
• Melda Ece Kelemcisoy melda.kelemcisoy@open.ac.uk / melda.kelemcisoy@gmail.com 07570 108752

MORE INFORMATION

In Defense of Animals alert: Stop Türkiye’s Gruesome Mass Killing of 4 Million Homeless Dogs & Cats

Animal Save Movement: Act Now to Save Turkey’s Dogs & Cats

UPCOMING DEMONSTRATIONS

• Washington DC
• New York City
• Los Angeles

ORGANIZATIONS

Animal Save Movement is a global network of activists that bear witness to animals at the gates of slaughterhouses. Their vision is a vegan world for the animals, the planet and health. http://animalsavemovement.org

In Defense of Animals is an international animal protection organization with over 250,000 supporters and a 40-year history of defending animals, people, and the environment through education and campaigns, as well as hands-on rescue facilities in central California, India, South Korea, and rural Mississippi. www.idausa.org

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