Turkey achieves 92% placement of stray animals in shelters and natural habitats

Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi announced that 92.35 % of Turkey's stray animals are now housed in shelters or designated natural habitats, following a 2024 legal amendment that changed the practice from releasing captured animals to keeping them for treatment, sterilisation and long‑term care. The government aims to collect all remaining stray animals by the end of the year and facilitate adoptions.

Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality operates a 180‑decare complex that currently shelters about 6 500 animals, staffed by 12 veterinarians and 85 personnel. The facility includes both an animal shelter and a natural‑life area.

In Trabzon, a 56‑decare natural‑life zone for stray animals is under rapid construction, with officials expecting the first animal admissions on 15 August.

The nationwide programme, rolled out initially in 51 provinces in March 2025 and expanded to 30 metropolitan areas in July, focuses on capture, medical treatment, sterilisation and permanent accommodation rather than return to streets.