ANGRY British tourists have vowed to boycott Turkey after the Turkish government introduced a controversial law culling stray dogs.
Animal-loving tourists have vowed to cancel their holidays in the popular tourist destination due to “dog slaughter” laws.
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Videos shared on social media showed numerous mass graves of dogs trapped and killed by people hunting the animals after the legislation was passed in July.
On social media, users said they had canceled their trips to Türkiye.
One person said: “Peru it was on my 2025 list to visit.
“It’s a beautiful country… people who love dogs must be heartbroken.”
It comes as thousands of people take to the streets to protest the cruel law, with signs that read “You can’t kill them” and “Take back the law”.
The painful slaughter law was designed to take dogs off the streets and into shelters; however, a clause in the law states that any dog that shows aggression or is sick will be put down.
A UK-based animal charity is working to save stray dogs in Türkiye.
According to the BBCHappy Paws Puppy Rescue cooperates with pounds in Türkiye to rehome stray dogs in the UK.
Lisa Smart, from the charity Happy Paws, said: “It’s overwhelming to think that these little souls, who are very trusting and very sweet, will be arrested and taken away.”
Smart’s rescue center in Turkey had to find extra space to take in 21 dogs – all Golden Retrievers – in addition to the 55 currently there.
She is concerned about the cost of caring for and rehoming so many animals.
In September, the charity will take 13 dogs to Lewes, East Sussex, where they will be released to new owners.
Turkey is believed to be home to around four million stray animals and they are frequently seen in many areas.
The controversial legislation was passed in late July and introduced due to concerns about rabies, dog attacks and animals causing accidents.
Animal rights activists called for neutering campaigns to be intensified, and the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) said it would appeal the legislation to the Constitutional Court.
CHP leader Ozgur Ozel said: “The account It is clearly unconstitutional and does not defend the right to life.
“We will do more than is required of us in terms of building more shelters, vaccinations, neutering and adoption.”
However, the Turkish government has insisted that stray animals will not be killed without reason.
İbrahim Yumakli, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, said: “This is not a massacre law, it is an adoption law.”
“This is not a massacre law, it is an adoption law,” said Agriculture and Rural Affairs Minister İbrahim Yumaklı.
However, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: “We have a stray dog problem that does not exist in any developed country.”
He added: “Despite the opposition’s provocations and campaigns based on lies and distortions, the national assembly once again listened to the people, refusing to ignore the cries of the silent majority.”
What are Turkey’s stray dog laws?
Turkey passed a controversial new law dubbed the “massacre law” to deal with stray dogs on Turkey’s streets in late July.
This comes amid concerns about attacks, road accidents and anger.
The new legislation requires municipalities to collect stray dogs and place them in shelters to be vaccinated, spayed and sterilized before making them available for adoption.
Dogs that are in pain, terminally ill or pose a health risk to humans will be euthanized.
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