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Pet ownership will require a certificate in
Turkey
April 30, 2014 Hurriyet Daily News
Anybody who wants to have a pet at home will need
to undergo training. They will also have to provide suitable accommodation for
the welfare of the animal, as well as meeting its ethological needs and care for
its health. With the new arrangement, sales of all kinds of pets and animals
except for fish and birds will be banned in pet shops. Also, prison sentences
will be introduced for torture and ill-treatment of animals.
Significant changes were made in the animal rights bill at the Parliamentary
Sub-commission on the Environment headed by Justice and Development Party (AKP)
Manisa deputy Selçuk Özdağ. Among other changes, criterion to own a pet has also
been introduced:
Any person, who adopts, owns, sells or cares for an animal needs to have an
accommodation suitable for the welfare of the animal, meet its ethological needs
and care for its health. People who sell or adopt pets are obliged to take
precautionary measures to prevent environmental pollution and damage and
discomforts stemming from the animals; they need to compensate any damage
stemming from not having taken adequate measures on time. Those who sell and own
pets are obliged to participate in training programs organized by local
administrations and obtain a certificate. A fine of 1,000 Turkish Liras will be
imposed on those who sell pets to people who have not received animal care
training.
There is another clause in the bill that bans the killing of ownerless or very
weak animals except for situations defined in the law. Also experimental work on
animals is restricted to researchers who have obtained certificates for using
experimental animals after completing the training programs organized by ethics
councils. Exports and imports of experimental animals are subject to permission.
This permit is granted by the Food, Agriculture and Livestock Ministry.
Jail for sexual intercourse
There will be a 2,000 liras fine for those who torture animals, 1,000 liras for
those who ill-treat animals on purpose, 500 liras for those who walk their
dangerous and risky dogs without a strap and nozzle and the penalty for sexual
intercourse with animals is jail sentences from three months to two years.
The sub-commission is also focusing on including animal fights into the category
of purposely ill-treating an animal and introduces an obligation to take animals
to the veterinary in the case of traffic accidents.
Animal lovers demand that sacrificing animals in greetings to be banned was
also discussed in the sub-commission, but was not decided upon.
Restrictions in commercials
Animals will not be exposed to pain or any kind of damage during the shooting of
a film, TV series, commercial activities or similar. Circus organizations,
either on land or water, which involve animals are also being banned. The
sub-commission has also lifted the ban on production, owning, entering the
country, sale and advertisement of dangerous dog breeds such as the pit-bull,
Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Brasilerio.
Read more:
Animal Rights FAQS; history of, Age
of Enlightenment, Turkey's animal rights, France updates laws
The History of Animal Rights;
ALDF's petition for Bill of Rights, Canada needs animal charter
Animal rights moves forward in
Europe; AW Party wins; AU under pressure, Canada lags behind; time for an Animal
Charter of Rights & Freedoms; WTO hinders global progress; NZ legally recognizes
animals as sentient beings
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