Animal rights protest hits international press

[Cosetta]

Just read this on CNN international (I am not part of KAPSA, although I contribute to it occasionally):

Istanbul (CNN) -- It's been more than a century since Istanbul's residents were kept awake at night by the howling of tens of thousands of stray dogs.

The dogs were rounded up and shipped to a deserted island in the Marmara Sea where they starved to death -- all part of a government-led effort to modernize Istanbul.

But the stories surrounding the so-called "Great Dog Massacre of 1910" are still fresh in the minds of Turkey's animal rights activists. Today, these activists are staging massive protests against a proposal to create "natural habitat parks" for stray cats and dogs in Turkey's urban areas.

These parks, they say, would really be concentration camps for stray animals.

"It's a law that might be killing hundreds of thousands of dogs and cats and little animals," said Michael Halfie, a television personality who joined thousands of demonstrators, many of whom marched with their pet dogs, through downtown Istanbul late last month. "We are now the voice of these voiceless, wonderful animals."

Supporters of the bill insist that the proposed law would protect these animals, who are left to fend for themselves on the city streets.

"The purpose of the law is to ensure a comfortable life for animals and that they be treated well," according to the government ministry that wrote Draft Law 5199. The ministry also said the law would "ensure that they are protected as best as possible from bad treatment, pain and suffering."

In recent weeks, animal rights activists have staged colorful, furious protests in Istanbul and more than a dozen other cities and towns across Turkey, criticizing the proposed legislation in the starkest terms before it was even submitted to a parliamentary vote.

"I am here only because I love animals. They are not animals for me, they are like my children," said Romali Perihan.
Perihan, an actress and singer from Turkish films of the 1970s and '80s who sported brightly dyed pink hair, strained to be heard over the roar of a crowd of protesters in Istanbul. "I'm a soprano, I need my voice. But for animals I lost my voice!" she yelled.

The "natural habitat parks" outlined in the proposed legislation would be temporary homes for strays when there isn't enough room in animal shelters, until they are adopted, according to the Turkish Forestry and Water Works Ministry.
"They will be looked after, fed and sheltered," explained the ministry in an e-mail to CNN.

The parks would be built on the outskirts of cities, and would be equipped with facilities for visiting school groups, as well as veterinary departments, according to the ministry's blueprints.  But some animal rights activists fear the natural habitat parks will become dumping grounds for stray animals, a charge the Forestry Ministry bluntly denies.
If they run away into the street, it's a potential animal to be collected.

Deniz Taysanl Kalafatoglu, animal rights activist
"As a lawyer, when I read the article, it says un-owned animals will be collected. Which means to me any kind of animals you see around, even the ones I own -- if they run away into the street, it's a potential animal to be collected," said Deniz Taysanl Kalafatoglu, vice president of the Istanbul Bar Association's Animal Rights Commission.

Animals are furry fixtures on the street corners of nearly every Turkish neighborhood. In Istanbul, Turkey's largest city, it's not unusual to see cafes and bars adopting strays as pets -- cats even take seats at bars to lap up saucers of milk, next to patrons sipping more fermented substances.

The practice of feeding and caring for neighborhood strays extends to butcher shops and even street vendors.
In Istanbul's throbbing Taksim Square, Husnu Atac sells the Turkish bagel known as "simit" from his car. Next to him, a white dog basks in the autumn sun.

"I love him by my side," said Atac, who named the dog Reis, which means chief in Turkish.
Atac noted that in recent weeks, municipal workers had collected at least five other stray dogs that he used to feed regularly.  "If the state can't guarantee that they will take care of the animals," Atac said, "then we are willing to take care of them."

Turkey's government insists there will be no round-up of strays.
"Cats and dogs being rounded up, not the case," the Turkish Forestry Ministry wrote in a blunt, one-line response to an e-mail question from CNN asking whether it should be acceptable to have dogs and cats living in Turkish streets.
The purpose of the law is to ensure a comfortable life for animals and that they be treated well.

Critics have also latched on to another vaguely worded clause of the proposed law that would limit the number of animals in a single household. Some pet owners expressed fear the law would force them to give up their beloved animals.

When asked about the proposed limits to pet ownership, the Forestry Ministry responded, "The number and type of domesticated or accessory animals will be determined by taking into consideration the ecological needs of the animals, the conditions of the space, and human health."

One thing that both sides seem to agree on is the proposed criminalization of abuse of animals.
"Under the current (animal rights) law, the torture and sexual exploitation of animals only receives an administrative fine," the Forestry Ministry wrote. "The draft law proposes a criminal punishment of up to 2 years of torture which can lead to death, and up to 1 year for sexual exploitation."

CNN's Talia Kayali contributed to this report.

Linkback: https://www.enjoykalkan.com/forum/index.php?topic=10496.0

[chickengeorge]

Let's not start this off again! Yawn.

[onelove]

I can't explain how frustrated I am.  A EK member posted a thread the other day explaining about a young lad who was attacked in the grounds of the villa/app he was staying at. He was first taken to the local doctors but had to be transferred to hospital, now I don't know how badly this young lad was hurt but obviously he was hurt enough for the local Doc to send him to hospital.........you guessed it the thread was instantly LOCKED 

I think some of you canine loving people need to get your head out of the sand.

And before I get slated for the above, I have not posted for an argument, just pointing out a couple of things that have happened lately in Kalkan and on EK.

I think it's time this thread was locked 

[kalkanview]

Please bear with me, this is not a rant. 

Have you seen the very well written, balanced and sensible article in KTLN on street dogs?

Perihan Agnelli speaks a lot of sense and she outlines some very interesting proposals.  I am struggling to think how anyone could not mostly agree with her, although as I discuss below I do not see how street dogs and humans can occupy the same street anymore.

Whatever you think about the street dogs of Turkey and its history the tensions between the two have been increasing and this is clearly connected to a changing and thriving Turkey establishing its rightful place in the world.  Modernising its society and growing its economy to improve the living standards of all its citizens with higher incomes, more schools and hospitals etc.  Attracting foreign investment and more tourists is a major part of this.

So although I speak as a foreigner you can see what is happening Turkey is changing and the street dogs rather belong to a previous era. 

I can even appreciate that when Kalkan was a sleepy fishing village, street dogs complimented its charm in some way, but as the town grows with more people, more cars, more scooters then the dogs become incompatible.
Look at Antalya and Fethiye, they have had to find a solution because animals roaming the streets would cause absolute mayhem wouldn’t they?

If the existing dogs can be allowed to live a quality life protected from the dangers of the streets and measures are introduced “encouraging” more responsible behaviour from some local owners (as outlined in KTLN article) whilst education, neutering, veterinary help etc continues then surely everyone would agree that everyone and every species benefits don’t they?

Imagine the pleasure of responsible dog owners being able to take out and enjoy their pets without fear of attack.

This has to include some form of controlled area but why is this problem if the dogs continue to receive assistance?

The KTLN survey shows me at least, that there is a lot of people in Kalkan, maybe a majority who are strongly unhappy with the status quo, Kapsa methods although exceedingly well meant and humane do encourage dogs to be dumped here exacerbating the problem.

I am sure that many more people (including me) will be prepared to contribute financially to a local initiative along these lines. 

This isn’t instead of Kapsa, it could be an enhanced Kapsa.  Kalkan could be a role model rather than a laggard.

The problems are not the dog’s fault it’s entirely man made and only man can sort it out.

[brian j p]

I have always loved  dogs,   especially with chips, however poodles do tend to be a bit chewy

[amber]

Well said Kalkanview!   -   "an enhanced Kapsa" - The belidye and volunteers to work together to achieve what Perihans managed to achieve in Fethiye.She was responsible for writing the existing laws that would work very well if all authorities followed them.

Fethiye is the role model and flagship town! They operate TNR programme along with a temporary shelter and ownership management.That is what Kapsa has been trying to achieve for some time but the belidye just ignore the problem.

Seems to me that many Kapsa supporters and anti Kapsa people are all looking to achieve the same thing after all!!!!!

(The KTLN survey was mentioned in recent posts but not the ongoing Turkish and english langague petitions)

[Chris S]

Presumably we are all waiting for a fatality to precipitate some form of action in Kalkan -the recent incident apparently involved a benign Rottweiler (we all know the potential of a grumpy one).
If the victim turned out to be a UK citizen, the UK press would doubtless make a meal of the story and the effect on Kalkan would probably be severe.
Many people are nervous of dogs, let alone packs of dogs and  the enjoyment of their holiday would be severly jeopardised by the presence numerous street dogs.
That being the case, should property owners who rent out there properties to holidaymakers, and who know only to well about the problem of street dogs, put a warning on there adverts ?  In fact are they negligent if they fail to do so?  Is it fair to inflict this situation on unsuspecting guests, whether or not they like dogs?
Someone suggested on the forum that the problem is just as bad or worse in the UK.  Not where I come from!  I cannot recal a time when I felt intimidated by street animals in the UK.   Most dog attacks in the UK are in the home by animals that know their victims.
Personally, I like dogs and am not of a nervous disposition but I have to confess that I have felt apprehensive when walking home in Kalkan on occasion when confronted by a group of street dogs.  It is like playing russian roulette - are these dogs going to be agressive or playful?
Time to lock the thread I guess!!

[kalkanview]

I mean it Amber but to get Kapsa representing a wider audience and increasing revenue there would in my view, need to be some form of control zone to achieve a difference relatively quickly.  There were rumours of a businessman prepared to offer the Belediye land outside Kalkan, is this true?

The link provided by firecat was truly staggering 28,000 facial dog bites a year in the UK alone, 19,000 requiring plastic surgery!

Chris S provides a powerful post, Kalkan needs change for the benefit of animals and humans and closing the gap between the two sides and working together makes sense as long as the objectives are the same i.e. make Kalkan even better and even more successful for everybody (that is animals, locals, ex pats and tourists) by removing feral and owned dogs from the streets, protecting them for the remainder of their lives and preventing further problems in future by local education, general neutering,  microchip initiative, dog tax, dog database etc.
 
Or do Kapsa want animals to remain on the street as its name suggests because otherwise a large gap will continue? 

What do others think?

[Enjoy Kalkan]

All,

Locking this thread as whilst I realise the issue is important to many it also creates the most moderation complaints from others who feel a small minority of members generate the same discussion about the same topic. It was for this reason a KAPSA announcements section was placed on the forum to avoid such circular discussions.

Thanks