Kas, once an unspoiled fishing village, is now a relatively unspoiled tourist town on the southern bulge of Turkey’s Mediterranean coast two hours’ drive southeast of Fethiye and three hours’ drive southwest of Antalya.
Unlike most coastal developments Kas still has charm, a charm that comes from its setting at the foot of the mountains, its unhurried ambiance and, most importantly, its dogs.
The stray dogs of Kas are legendary. Friendly and kind, they are loved and cherished by the many tourist that visit the village. Tourists coming to Kas care for them, feed them, pet them, at times they even adopt them and take them back to their countries of origin.
Dogs are an asset for Kas. They are part of the whole Turkey experience, tourists love it, tourist establishment love it… but not the Mayor.
The Mayor of Kaş Abdullah Gültekin hates dogs.
Recently the major said to a concerned group of animal lovers: “I’ll keep on killing them stop me if you can”
23 of April, Childrens day, the holiday created by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk who believed that children were the future of this nation.
6:30 am an eyewitness saws a police car, a municipal policeman and the employees from the cleaning department. One of them had a pistol with a long barrel and the others had big black plastic bag which were all full with something. As she asked the police what they were doing policeman said that they were sedating dogs to take them to Kaş Minester Shelter for nursing them.
It was not true. That day, Kas witnessed yet another dog massacre. One more.
The Municipality has been repeating this senseless killing for decades. It is time to stop them.
Traditionally, animal welfare groups are always late to stop those killings. Usually, we are alerted by people who find dead dogs in the streets. By the time we get there is usually too late and the assassins have succeeded in their mission.
This time will be different. Two of Let’s Adopt members are working for the Municipality of Kas and they have alerted us of the Municipality’s plans. The Dogs of Kas will be killed shortly after the Holiday season is over.
This weekend Kas will be full of tourists. They will be playing with the beautiful animals completely unaware that of the plans of the Kas Municipality.
Let’s Adopt will conduct an awareness campaign like no other. This time we won’t be screaming for justice at the sight of tens of dead dogs. This time we will try to save them before its too late. This will be an internet-based awareness campaign but it will involve traditional media as well. Bloggers all over the world are invited to report on this campaign and to contact us to offer their assistance.
We will also request the help of animal activist networks from all over the world.
Most of you are already on your way to Kas, some are already there.
Let the hoteliers, shopkeepers of Kas that this year the world will be watching them and that thousands of people will use whatever means necessary to stop the killings. We are sure there will be people that will call upon a boycott on Tourism.
Let the people of Kas now that the dogs of Kas MUST NOT BE KILLED, and The Mayor of Kaş Abdullah Gültekin, is not beyond the scope of the Law.
History has named Turks as Barbarians – Mass murderers. They are known by mass killings. This is not a surprise to me…
Stop the killing of dogs in your country.
Killing the animals instead of working castration-programs has to be stopped immedeately!Animal Care Austria and animal protectors of whole Europe are terribly shocked about this doing in your area…. and don’t forget, that the culture of people is always seen in its behaviour with animals…
Im shocked of NON Humanity i was see!
Please if u have any power use in right way
PLEASE protect poor animals!
WHAT COMES AROUND… TURN AROUND !
THINK
SHAME ON TURKEY FOR THIS ANIMAL MASSACRE, SHAME!!!
We must stop this killing of the dogs here. Email and write the officials and tell them there are millions of us across the globe who value “Mans Best Friend, the loyal dog’s” life and his/her most valued place in the hearts of compassionate human beings. Thank you for providing email and addresses of officials. In the USA, we aren’t perfect, our shelters are over run with homeless animals who usually meet their death, euthanized – perhaps humanely, but undeservably. Human beings have betrayed the creatures of our planet, thank goodness…there are ones and millions of us who can speak for them. Raise your voices comrades, be the voice for the voiceless, the precious canine creatures who bless our world.
Attention to the Mayor of Kaş Abdullah Gültekin
This cruel treatment against animals in Turkey must be stopped….at once.
It is inconceivable for us that your country should belong to the EU. As long as your cultural tradition contains these horrible crimes against animals.
In Europe it isn`t tradition to kill animals.
The whole civilized world will be informed how turkish humans violate animals.
It`s one of the biggest disgrace and it isn`t conducive for your land !!
Actually we wanted to spend our holydays in Turkey, but under these circumstances we will give up on it and we will inform our friends and relatives to do the same.
We don´t want to spend our holidays in a land where the rights of animals, like in the Middle Age, are ignored.
We would appreciate an answer.
Sincerely
Animal Life Switzerland
Dora Hardegger
CH-8049 Zuerich
Stop the killing of dogs!
Cruelty will never be in fashion Mr. Mayor!!!!
Shame on you ! I do believe that there is still any universal justice that can stop dog killing in countries like yours.
And I am ashamed of the fact that my country like yours is in this list too.
“The average dog is a nicer person than the average person”
Andy Rooney
this brutal kind of animal control is not compatible with the EU-laws!
I know, not all Turkish people are animal-killers – but there was never a positive e-mail, that told us, that animal-care is growing in Turkey!
Please – make a change! Treat the animals with respect!
Allah had dogs and horses – and I am sure, he never wanted to see one of it tortured!
WIR FORDERN EINE EUROPAWEITE KASTRATIONS-PROGRAMME FÜR STRASSENTIERE !
I right now canceld my holyday in turkey.
I will NEVER travel in in country accepting such cruelty.
Turkey, try to develop your mind and hear, try to reach 20th century
Und so ein Land will in die EU. Es wird genug Geld urch Tourismus eingenommen. Statt zu töten,sollten sie Kastrationen vornehmen.Ich werde nie wieder in die Türkei reisen,bis sich dort nicht endlich was geändert hat.
Eveline Sienold und das gesamte pfoetchenrettungsteam
Stop this insane killing!!!!!!!!
Stop the killing of dogs or cats in our country!
Please stop this senseless and cruel killing! The only way is castration!
Tourist love Turkey, its friendly people AND animals. Show respect for every creature on earth, please.
Kastration sollte unbedingt Pflicht werden, damit die Tiere sich nicht unkontrolliert vermehren, da wäre das Problem an der Wurzel gepackt.
[...] son ne zaman size hayvanları sevdiklerini, kendilerinin de hayvanları olduğunu, hayvanlarla büyüdüklerini söylediler de [...]
Bevor die Türkei mit Tieren nicht anders umgeht, ist dieses Land für mich kein Urlaubsland! Tiere fühlen wie wir und haben die gleichen Bedürfnisse. Das muss endlich im Bewusstsein der Menschen fest verankert werden.
Daher: Schluss mit Tötungen, stattdessen Kastrationsprogramme und Tierheime, die diesen Namen auch verdienen!