During the last two years, the group has uncovered evidence of thousands of dogs killed, tortured and abandoned -- which they insist was work of municipalities. Recently, the group discovered that 68 puppies were killed at the Greater İstanbul Municipal Rehabilitation Center at Hasdal. The story was later covered in the national press.Municipal officials later defended themselves, saying the animals were killed due to concerns about a rabies outbreak, which animal activists say is not true.
Members of the group gathered on Saturday morning for the second time in two weeks in front of the facility in Hasdal, which they say is a “death camp.” The group reiterated its earlier demands that Hasan Gençdal, director of the Istanbul Municipality’s veterinary department, Hasdal Rehabilitation Center Director Ahmet Bölükbaşı and Recep Zafer, the deputy director of the municipality’s veterinary department be removed from their posts; that the practice by İstanbul shelters of abandoning of stray animals in surrounding forests to starve be stopped; the neutering of underage animals be ended; that the hygienic and health conditions of shelters be improved; and that the structure of the current shelter system be changed and that the municipalities make a genuine and concerted effort to find homes for stray animals.
Although it is against Animal Rights Law No. 5199, Turkish municipalities are frequently criticized by animal rights groups both nationally and internationally for their inhumane treatment and unlawful killing of stray and abandoned animals. Under the law, municipalities must neuter stray animals and leave them at the spot where they were picked up. Despite this, thousands of dogs are being kept in shelters across the country. All municipalities deny killing stray animals, despite documented evidence acquired by animal rights activists, including copies of municipal orders to send out “dog killing” teams.
In its statement on Saturday, the group said: “We will not stop! We will not rest! We will change the world and make it a better place for our animals, for our children, for us. You will kill, and we will we make sure you are plastered all over the national media, with KILLERS written over your faces. You will torture, and we will make sure you will not only lose your jobs but you will never be employed by anyone again. You will use your authority to cover your actions up, and we will expose you until you can never go out in public. This is our promise. Let’s hear yours!”
