Turkey’s politics, unfortunately, isn’t any less partisan than those here in the us. During this case, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hopes to increase his powers even further by jointly holding the roles of president and prime minister.
While supporters cheer and critics rage, a fiercely divided electorate can only agree on one thing. After a little puppy was found during a Turkish forest together with his tail and legs cruelly chopped off, politicians on each side of the aisle are calling for justice.
Animal rights didn’t factor into this campaign before the dog was discovered in the Sakarya Province. That changed in an instance when the images of the poor creature were widely shared online. (The puppy was found alive, but died days later during emergency surgery).
“Whether reception or on the road , we'll take the law into consideration and evaluate it,” the president said at a recent rally, noting that a suspect had been charged with a criminal offense . “There is nothing acceptable about this, but it's vital to point out this awareness.”
Animal rights groups believe Turkey’s animal welfare laws are too lax, partly because more pressing issues, including its 2-3 year-long “state of emergency,” often demand more immediate attention. Regardless, the govt could more easily add such a provision to the constitution and, consistent with reports, such a proposal is already in the works.
Sadly, Erdoğan has already been caught on tape openly discussing his plans to rig the subsequent election, so we’re not holding our breath that Turkey’s animal welfare rules will change soon.