A stray dog sedated during a municipal operation in Turkey’s capital died on Tuesday, sparking protests outside the Republican People’s Party (CHP)-run Çankaya Municipality and fuelling public anger over the country’s controversial draft animal law, Bianet’s Tuğçe Yılmaz reported on Wednesday.
The dog, known to local volunteers in the Birlik neighbourhood, was reportedly shot with tranquiliser darts multiple times during a morning street animal collection by municipal teams. Activists said they had warned officials not to sedate the elderly dog, fearing it would not survive. Hours later, at 19:30 (local time, GMT+3), the animal was taken to a veterinary clinic while still unconscious. Despite medical efforts, it died around 23:30.
A veterinary report cited “cardiovascular and respiratory syndrome caused by anaesthetic agents” as the cause of death.
Journalist and animal rights advocate Gökhan Mezarcı, who witnessed the incident, said municipal staff ignored pleas to spare the dog. “They threw his body into a truck like garbage,” he told Bianet. “He had a volunteer caretaker for years. They were warned not to sedate him.”
Protesters began a “life watch” vigil outside the municipality building on Tuesday night, holding protest signs and the dog’s body. On Wednesday, police intervened, tried to detain several activists and dragging some across the ground. The dog’s body was also seized.
Çankaya Municipality, governed by Turkey’s main opposition party CHP, has not made a public statement. Journalists attempting to obtain comment were redirected between departments with no response.
The incident comes amid growing national concern over a government-backed draft law that could lead to mass culling or forced removal of stray animals. Animal rights groups say the bill encourages inhumane practices and reflects a policy shift away from protection to control.
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