From 1910 to 2024: Is Türkiye on the brink of another dog masacre?

Have you seen the 2010 short animation of Serge Avedikian called “Chienne d’histoire”?

It tells the story of 80,000 stray dogs, forcibly rounded up and exiled to a remote island in Istanbul in 1910.

The dogs died in a cruel manner with their cries echoing through Istanbul for days. The event known as “Hayırsızada Dog Massagre” left a scar on Turkish collective memory. The subsequent natural disasters were even associated with divine retribution for the cruelty.

It was for some considered as one of the most organized and large-scale animal cruelty cases in world history.

The political nature of the “stray dog”

According to historical accounts, the massacre was part of the Ottoman authorities’ broader modernization effort. One of the reasons for the government’s decision to remove dogs from streets was to present a more modernized image of Istanbul.

This was not the first instance of such actions. During the reign of Sultan Mahmud II decades earlier, the sultan, yielding to Western pressures, initiated the rounding up of dogs. Interestingly, according to some accounts, when the Sultan consulted Islamic authorities on the matter, they opposed the mass killing of the animals. Instead, they devised a solution of exile, leading to the collection of all stray dogs and their abandonment on an island. However, due to public pressure, the Sultan ultimately decided to bring the dogs back.

However in 1910, the public voice were not enough leading thousands of dogs die in a cruel manner. The story haunted Turkish people as animals, particularly cats and dogs hold a significant place in the culture. If you saw documentaries like “kedi” and “stray,” you may noticed that Istanbul is often referred to as the “city of cats,” and showcases deep-rooted compassion between residents and stray animals.

In 2004 ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) introduced a significant legal shift, outlawing the killing of animals. By 2021 animals were reclassified from property to sentient beings. The law mandated municipalities to establish shelters and implement sterilization programs. However, compliance has been inconsistent with problems like abandonment and inadequate shelters remained unresolved continuing to spark controversy.

New law of “euthanasia”

Recently, the stray dog issue has been again on the national agenda, with animal rights activists are warning for another massacre.

The government proposed a new contentious law mandating the killing of stray dogs if not claimed or adopted within 30 days. They changed the term killing to “euthanasia” after the backlash.

According to the AKP, which proposed the law, it aims to address public safety concerns, citing statistics of dog attacks, traffic accidents caused by stray animals, and the rising cases of rabies.

During its 2023 election campaign, AKP brought the stray dog issue to the forefront. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan highlighted the growing stray dog population as a unique problem “not seen in developed countries,” echoing modernization concerns.

Ironically, the law’s most vocal proponents were parties representing radical Islamist views, such as the Yeniden Refah Partisi (YRP).

Killing is no solution

The YRP has leveraged anti-stray dog sentiments to strengthen its base, promoting conspiracy theories and highlighting animal attacks on social media. Their local election slogan focused on rounding up stray dogs, resonating with public fears fueled by incidents of dog attacks. That was the trigger for the AKP which has been loosing votes to introduce to the law, partly in hopes of appealing to the YRP base. However, ironically enough, the killing of unclaimed stray dogs met with opposition from even within the YRP itself, citing religious and ethical objections.

Public sentiment is strongly against the killing of stray dogs, with thousands protesting the proposed measures. A recent study by Yöneylem Research shows that only 6 percent of the population supports “euthanasia,” while 73 percent favor collecting stray dogs from the streets.

However, the public is not citing religious reasons, modernization efforts, or political angles but is instead demanding a more humane approach to the issue. Animal rights activists argue that the proposed law will lead to another massacre. They highlight the inadequacy of current shelter facilities and the government’s failure to implement comprehensive sterilization programs. Activists believe that effective sterilization and humane treatment, not mass euthanasia, are the solutions.

AKP’s calculation

The AKP perceives the issue of stray dogs as predominantly affecting the lower socioeconomic classes. Amidst soaring inflation, diminishing purchasing power, and high taxes, the lower classes are facing significant hardships and are increasingly distancing themselves from the AKP, which is already under scrutiny due to corruption allegations.

For the AKP, the debate surrounding stray dogs serves as a strategic attempt to create a divide by depicting animal rights activists as the upper-middle class. This tactic of fostering division and polarization has historically benefited the AKP throughout its political tenure. As the AKP continues to lose support, this issue is less about religious concerns or addressing rising demands, and more about a political maneuver aimed at countering the decline in votes attributed to the worsening economic conditions.

The law is on Parliamentary Commission which consists of all political parties. While the opposition stands against the “euthanasia” article, the issue persists. The discussions within the commission will determine if Turkiye will witness another massacre, awaiting another “divine retribution.” Because in the end it is not about modernisation, religion or meeting demands it is about political calculations.