Few cases of animal cruelty are so disturbing that they have provoked real action from powerful politicians. Even fewer have made the
president of an entire nation stand up and say, enough is enough. That is just what happened in Turkey earlier this month. A group of walkers was roaming around a forest near
Sakarya, Turkey when they came upon a shocking sight.
There, hidden under the undergrowth was a bloodied and dying one-month-old puppy. Someone had chopped off its legs and tail and left it there to die. The rescuers rushed it to a local veterinarian hospital where it fought for two long days before
it finally succumbed to its appalling injuries. Video and images of the mutilated puppy enraged the entire country.
So much so that the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, personally announced the arrest of the suspected animal abuser at a political rally. But that is just the beginning.
The president along with politicians from various opposing parties spoke up to call for new and stronger protections to prevent violence against stray animals like street dogs and cats. President Erdogan said he would work to do just that after the election on June 24th.
The new proposed law would regulate how stray animals are treated by the public and create stricter penalties for those who abused them. This tragic story could have a positive ending if Turkey really does follow through with their new anti-animal abuse law, it could protect thousands of homeless animals from violence and cruelty. But often promises like the ones made by Turkish politicians get lost or set aside due to "higher" priorities.
If we really want to see a better world for Turkey's stray animals we must continue to show our support and create pressure for their politicians to make this important change. Please sign the petition and tell President Erdogan you support the new proposed stray animal protection law. Together we can make it happen.