Former French actress Brigitte Bardot sent a letter to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan warning him that a bill currently being discussed regarding stray dogs poses a "terrible threat" to these animals. The former movie star, who heads an animal welfare foundation, condemned the highly controversial bill that could lead to the euthanasia of around four million stray dogs in Turkey.
In her letter, abbreviated as "B.B." (the first letters of her name), she stated, "Turkey has until now been an example of compassion towards stray cats and dogs that can live in harmony with the residents." She added, "Do not let Turkey become an unloved and criticized country due to its indifference and cruelty towards these sensitive beings, who are our most loyal companions."
The parliamentary committee is still reviewing the bill, which has sparked strong protests and actions from animal rights defenders and the parliamentary opposition before it is presented to lawmakers. The bill, proposed by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), stipulates that large numbers of dogs should be captured, sterilized, and could even be euthanized within 30 days if not adopted.
Brigitte Bardot emphasized that "killing or capturing is not only a brutal measure, but it also leads to counterproductive results and only exacerbates the number of stray dogs and cats."
President Erdoğan noted at the end of May that Turkey has "a problem with stray dogs, a problem that does not exist in any developed country," referring to a rise in rabies cases (with the World Health Organization describing the phenomenon in Turkey as "high-risk") and an increase in dog bite incidents (3,544 over the past five years), which resulted in 55 deaths and more than five thousand injuries during that period. A new protest against this law was organized in Istanbul on Tuesday evening.
