The Turkish people will not allow this bloody law!

The massacre law targeting stray animals has been approved by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Affairs, despite all the backlash. The word "euthanasia" was removed, but the criteria for the animals to be killed through "euthanasia" were defined.

This responsibility has been placed on municipalities. The bill tasks municipalities with the responsibility of putting animals to sleep, stating: "Collect stray dogs, cram these animals into shelters, find them owners, or kill them." The Ministry of Agriculture will oversee the process. Municipalities that fail to fulfill their duties will be fined.

My childhood was spent playing with the dogs on our street. I was bitten by a stray dog three different times. We kept each of them under close observation, and I didn't even need a rabies shot.

My generation, the generations before me, and those after me have all grown up intertwined with dogs on the streets. We gave names to our dear friends on the street. We made them part of the games we played outside.

In ancient Anatolian culture, stray animals are "dear friends." On hot days, there is a bowl of water for those souls at the door of every house. The neighborhood residents always keep that bowl filled. In Anatolian culture, leftovers from meals are not thrown in the trash; they are saved for the cats and dogs on the street. Children are taught the concept of compassion first through how they treat stray animals. The neighborhood's "Karabaş" or "Çomar" (common names for dogs) are an inseparable part of Anatolian culture. They are not property; they are living souls!

If there is a stray animal problem in Turkey, the number one party responsible for this problem is the government that has been ruling the country for 23 years. The right to life is too sacred to be left to anyone. The government, which has been unable to solve this problem for 23 years, unable to control the reproduction of stray animals, and unable to sterilize them, is now choosing the most brutal, most shameful method: killing. Unfortunately, we are facing a power that sees itself as having the right to kill stray animals.

One cannot remain silent in the face of this cruelty, this massacre. Call it killing, putting to sleep, or euthanasia; standing against this shameful bill is a requirement of being human.

Why was this bill not handled in consensus with local governments? Why wasn't it debated? The number of veterinary faculties in Turkey is higher than the total number of veterinary faculties in EU countries. There are exactly 29 veterinary faculties in Turkey. Why was this law not prepared in consultation with veterinary faculties? Why was the knowledge of non-governmental organizations working on animal rights not utilized?

Euthanasia is performed for living beings that have lost their vital functions. How ethical is it to cull healthy animals? Which veterinarian would accept this duty? Will veterinarians who refuse to kill healthy stray animals also be fined? Will the mental health of the people of a country that casts aside universal science and medical rules and chooses to kill instead of save not be affected? Will the psychology of children not be damaged?

Conscience and compassion have no ideology. They have no political party either. I am sure that many people who vote for the AKP and their children are also against this law. Because no living being's right to life is more important than another's!

The Quran says: "Whoever kills a living creature, an animal, or a bird unjustly, it will complain about him on the Day of Judgment! (Kanz al-Ummal, h.no: 39968)

The Turkish people will not allow this bloody law!