Turkish Interior Minister sets a target: All stray dogs will be removed to shelters by the end of the year
[84157] Turkish Interior Minister sets a target: All stray dogs will be removed to shelters by the end of the year
Turkey's Interior Minister, Mustafa Çiftçi, stated that 89% of stray dogs have already been removed and that the operation will be completed by the New Year.
Turkish Interior Minister sets a target: All stray dogs will be removed to shelters by the end of the year
In a series of dramatic statements released on June 15, 2026, Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi announced that the country is prepared to resolve the issue of stray, unsupervised dogs by the end of the calendar year. According to a report by the channel Borsa Haber Hisse, the Minister stated firmly: "It will be brought to an end by the New Year, I will collect all the stray dogs into shelters."
In data presented by gdh, Minister Çiftçi noted that government forces have already managed to collect about 89% of the population of ownerless stray dogs across the country. The Minister directed sharp criticism toward certain local authorities, primarily large cities governed by the Republican People's Party (CHP), claiming they are "creating difficulties" and thwarting the enforcement of the law regarding the removal of the dogs.
The Minister's announcement came after a meeting he held with the "Association for the Protection of Safe Streets and the Right to Life," according to Haber Gündem. The organization, which identifies with positions calling for stricter enforcement of removing dogs from public spaces, welcomes the resolute government policy. While media outlets aligned with the government present the move as a necessary step for public safety, the issue remains charged in public discourse in Turkey between animal rights activists and those who support their removal.