Will euthanasia be applied to stray dogs? Yeniden Refah Party Deputy Chairman Mehmet Altınöz answers 12punto's questions

'If stray dogs collected from the streets are not adopted within 1 month in shelters, euthanasia will be applied' The news that the proposal would come to Parliament drew reactions from animal lovers, while it pleased those who believe they harm people.

12punto.com.tr, continues to examine the perspectives of political parties on the issue.

Responding to our questions on the subject recently, IYI Party Istanbul MP Nimet Özdemir, 'We are talking about a government that has been in power for 20 years. Until the last period, the municipalities were in their hands. If the municipalities had carried out the neutering and vaccinations on time, this population would not have increased this much' she said, criticizing the government heavily.

Following Özdemir, we directed our questions on the subject to Yeniden Refah Party Deputy Chairman Mehmet Altınöz.

'IT SHOULD NOT BE CONFINEMENT'

What is the Yeniden Refah Party's perspective on stray dogs?

'During mycampaign for Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor,Iraised the issue of stray dogs. Dogsmustbe collected immediately. Once collected, an environment should be provided where they can live in the best way possible, in accordance with humane and creature-friendly conditions. It should not be confinement.Forexample, an environment could be created on large plots of land where they can roam freely, with food and water provided under municipal conditions. 'THEY ARE ABANDONING THEM IN THE MOUNTAINS AND WILDERNESS'Why have we reached this point, what does stray dog mean?Ihavealwayssaid this.Theyareabandoningthem in the mountains and wilderness.

This is not a solution.

We need to establish proper shelters.Theseanimals are our responsibility. WeFirst of all, we need to start from here. Before, thiswas not on theagenda,why is it on theagendanow? One of the biggestreasonsfor it coming to theagendaisthis:people adopt dogs when they are puppies. They buy them from pet shops. They give them as gifts to their friends, spouses, orchildren.The gifted puppy is very beautiful and very cute at first. Then it grows,becomes huge, brings a financialburden,and it becomes impossible to physically control it. Later,thesepeopleabandon them in the mountains and fields and return to their homes. As a result, the dogsgo hungry.Thisisthemain reason. The financial burden becomes heavy, and it becomes impossible to physically control them. Later, these people abandon them in the mountains and fields and return to their homes. As a result, thedogsgo hungry. It becomes impossible to physically control them. Later, these people abandon them in the mountains and fields and return to their homes. As a result, thedogsgohungry.Later, these people abandon them in the mountains and fields and return to their homes. As a result, thedogsgohungry. This is the situation.

Whendogs, accustomed to having food placed in front of them at home, begin to live in difficult conditions on the street, becomeagg ressive and attack people. Not just people. They attack whatever theyseeand encounter.

Especially in summerresort regions this happens a lot. Vacationerscome, they feed these dogs, and give them the food they don't eat in the evening. Later, the vacationersreturn to the city. In the summerresort, hundreds, thousands of dogs are left hungry. This is the second reason.'' ''

''THERE IS TALK OF 10 MILLION DOGS''

The thirdreason.St ray dogs reproduce very quickly. It is said that municipalities should open shelters. How many shelters can a municipality open? There is talk of 10 million dogs. It is an incredible figure.What is the solution? First of all, the dogs need to be collected immediately. We should not see dogs on the street. In developed countries, you cannot see dogs on the street.For example, in Germany, pet owners are taxed. Taxes collected from cat and dog owners are in 15th place among the tax items collected in Germany. Approximately 500 million euros in annual taxes are collected. This means that in developed countries they have solved this. We need to implement a similar system.There are solutions to this in other countries.

''WE DO NOT FIND IT RIGHT FOR DOGS TO LIVE A LIFE OF IMPRISONMENT IN SHELTERS''

We do not want to use the wordshelter too much. We do not find it right for dogs to live a life of imprisonment in shelters. It is not right to confine them to a one-square-meter space. We are thinking about both sides of this issue; both the human side and the creature's side.Wearethinking about both sides of this issue; both the human side and the creature's side.

 ''THE MUNICIPALITY WILL PROVIDE VETERINARY SERVICES AND FOOD SUPPORT''

Let's say a person wants to adopt a dog. The dog will be given to that person. At the same time, the municipality will provide veterinary services and food support. There should be no financial b urden on the person adopting. Due to the economic crisis, there is a serious financial burden. There is a serious financial burden.

Dogs will be microchipped and will have vaccination records. Ultimately, they should be adopted under the responsibility of the municipalities.

Ultimately, they should be adopted under the responsibility of the municipalities.

''WE DO NOT FIND THE ISSUE OF PUTTING THEM TO SLEEP RIGHT''

We find the issue of sterilization reasonable, but we do not find the issue of putting them to sleep right. Putting an animal to sleep means killing it while it is alive. We do not have the right to do such a thing. Who are we to do something like this?

''WE SAY YES TO BRINGING IT UNDER DISCIPLINE''

So, if this proposal comes to Parliament, your party will vote against it. Do I understand correctly?

This is currently being discussed. We are against putting them to sleep. We say yes to establishing a framework and bringing this matter under discipline by enacting a law related to it. We are already saying this. If I were the Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, we would have already started this.

''QUITE POSSIBLE''

You mentioned 10 million dogs. There is a cost to microchipping 10 million dogs and providing food support. Can Turkey afford this?

If it is integrated into this system, it is quite possible. Why not? God forbid, if one of our children were to die, what cost could replace them?

A child of ours named Tunahan in Ankara left school a year ago. While he was walking past a vacant lot, dogs attacked him. His father said, 'The dogs didn't just attack my child, they didn't just bite my child, they ate my child.' Our chairman visited our child in the hospital. He spoke with his father. When we last met, Tunahan had undergone his 10th surgery. He continues to undergo surgeries.

Of course, we must prevent dogs from attacking people. We must take measures for this. Can these measures be taken? They can be taken.

The intelligence of the best-trained dog can reach the level of a 2-year-old baby. In other words, what I mean is; there is K9 training. There is training for dogs. For example, police, gendarmerie, guard dogs, and dogs used in earthquakes...

You train them. For example, you throw a ball. When told to catch, it catches and brings it back. When told to lie down, it lies down. It can reach the intelligence capacity of a 2-year-old child. I am talking about the best-trained dog.

We need to draw a framework where they can roam in areas larger than shelters, in open spaces. For example, they will roam in a 100-acre area. By neutering them, their reproduction will be prevented.

''EUTHANASIA WILL NOT PASS PARLIAMENT, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WILL HAPPEN''

If this proposal passes, will euthanasia be applied in municipalities won by the Yeniden Refah Party?

Euthanasia will not pass Parliament. Such a thing cannot happen. This is not something that will happen anyway. I cannot understand how they can say that. God created the dog, and God created you too. For example, can such a decision be made regarding humans? They are creatures, and we are creatures. Trees and flowers are also creatures. I cannot understand how people can make such decisions and express them so easily. This is my personal opinion, but if it passes Parliament, what will happen? We need to sit down and talk. I do not really believe it will pass Parliament in this way. Love for animals is a very important love. It is very important for children to grow up with a love for animals.''

News Source: 12punto