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The Istanbul Governor’s Office has instructed municipalities to collect stray dogs and bring them under control by the end of May, citing public safety concerns and existing legal obligations.
The directive is based on Türkiye’s Law No. 5199 on Animal Protection and its updated implementation regulation, which entered into force in 2024. Under this framework, stray or abandoned animals must be taken by local authorities to animal shelters established or authorized by municipalities.
The law requires that such animals be transferred “as quickly as possible” to designated care facilities.
In addition, the regulation defines the duties of local administrations, stating that municipalities are responsible for collecting stray animals and placing them in shelters, municipal facilities where stray animals are housed, treated, and managed under public authority, they operate or are licensed to use.
The Governor’s Office pointed to reports from several districts where groups of stray dogs have posed risks to public safety, occasionally leading to injuries.
Officials noted that, despite the legal framework, efforts to collect stray dogs have progressed slowly in some areas. In particular, municipalities with shelters nearing capacity have not yet completed the construction of new natural living areas, even where land has already been allocated for such projects.
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Authorities have called on municipalities to speed up their operations and ensure that stray dog populations are brought under control by the end of May.
The directive also states that legal action will be initiated against local administrations that fail to fulfill their responsibilities. In such cases, complaints may be filed with public prosecutors to begin judicial proceedings.
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