Dozens of dead animals found near animal shelter in İstanbul

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Disturbed by the bad smell, residents in the Tepeören neighborhood in İstanbul's Kartal district found that dozens of dead animals were put in a hole dug in the area near the Tepeören Temporary Animal Shelter.

The chief physician of the shelter, Mevlüt Maytalman, told Demirören News Agency (DHA) that "animal carcasses from İstanbul's all 39 districts were brought here."

İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu announced that an investigation would be opened into the incident.

The chair of the Association for Protecting, Saving, Supporting Animals' Lives (HAYKURDER), Erman Paçalı, told bianet that the place where the dead animals were found was not an animal burial ground allocated for the municipality.

He criticized the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM), which is led by the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), and all other political parties as "none of them are sensitive" about the issue. "Unfortunately, shelters are death camps," he said.

"The İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) says animals from 39 districts were buried in the area but districts like Kadıköy have their own burial areas," he said.

Dead animals can be disposed of by burning or burial according to the legislation, he said. "Only the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry uses the burning method."

Negligence

"I don't think the municipality killed [the animals] to clean the streets but there is negligence. There is a situation that threatens public health. Everyone can pass by there. Wild animals can go there as well. It may prodıce infections as a result of contact," he said.

"The IMM can't justify itself. Mass graveyards are something that we encounter in many municipalities. With the new animal rights law, our right to file a complaint about these was taken away from us and given to the provincial directorates of agriculture," added Paçalı.

"When İmamoğlu visited the Kısırkaya Shelter, there were 1,400 dogs. He asked, 'Why do you keep these here?' A week later, 1,400 dogs disappeared. Where they were taken to, what happened is still not disclosed.

"In Çatalca, animals were released into the forest en masse. IMM teams left animals taken from Bakırköy in the middle of the highway in İzmir. They made nonsensical statements like 'We thought it was İstanbul.' These teams are still on duty.

"As long as those who are involved in these actions are not suspended from duty, violations will continue. I don't think the IMM administration is sincere. I don't think there is the necessary delicacy and sensitivity." (NÇ/DŞ/VK)