Thousands protest Turkey bill on stray animals

TURKEY: Thousands of animal rights activists demonstrated Sunday in Istanbul to protest against a government plan to keep strays away from city centres, branding the move "a death law for animals." The crowd of some 4,000 activists marched to the main Taksim Square, some of them with their animals, blowing whistles and chanting slogans.

"No to death law for animals!" read a large banner held by the demonstrators.

They criticised the move as a way of exterminating Turkey's large population of strays, which they said were usually fed and neutered through activists' efforts.

"They are not just cats and dogs, they are our children," read another placard, as the activists urged the government to scrap the bill, which awaits a parliament vote.

Supporters of the bill say it will help protect the estimated hundreds of thousands of strays from the cruelty they are often subjected to on the streets.

The bill's opponents argue the animals will simply starve. AFP