Animal rights activist on hunger strike hospitalized

Photos: Independent Paws Association/Twitter

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Independent Paws Association Chair Ayşe Köse's health worsened on the 42nd day of the hunger strike, which she started for the rights of hundreds of street animals.

Medical teams made the first intervention despite the objections of 48-year-old Köse, who fell ill yesterday (May 3).

Köse, who was taken to the nearest healthcare facility, was discharged this morning.

According to the information provided by the Independent Paws Association to bianet, Köse, who was resting at home, had started a hunger strike due to the indifference of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) affiliated Municipality of Gölpazarı to street animals.

Officials at the association also stated that the municipality does not meet any of the animals' needs such as food, water, and shelter.

What were their demands?

Speaking to Diken news portal on April 1 Alperen Çulha, a director of the association, explained their demands as follows:

"They need to provide nutritional support. The law also demands that this be done with voluntary cooperation and coordination...Sterilize so that the numbers do not increase. They're already high enough. At least prevent the increase. Unfortunately, sterilization operations are not being done.

"If we can catch up, find a vehicle and provide coordination for treatments, we are obliged to bring them to İstanbul which takes three to four hours. We cannot get vehicle support from the municipality. They promised but did not allocate vehicles. Sheltering... They are obligated to allocate it, to do this within their own structure. We asked for four items, and it has not been fulfilled.

"We have been listing these demands for 6 years. A municipality that belongs to the ruling party. They benefit from every blessing and allowance. They do not seem convincing to us when they try to justify themselves under the name of lack of budget."

There are 1,000 dogs in the town

Bilecik's Gölpazarı district has a population of approximately 9,500. Approximately 1,000 stray dogs live in this district, which is three hours away from İstanbul.

It takes seven packs of food every day to feed the dogs. Three of these are covered by donations and the rest by the association management. (TP/VK)