Stray dogs have become a major source of public worry in Türkiye. As more and more dogs are abandoned in forests, they come into contact with wildlife and increase the risk of transmitting rabies to people.
Professor Dr. Murat Arslan, president of the Istanbul Chamber of Veterinarians, said, "Stray dogs are starting to become a health hazard for the society, not because they produce noise or terror any longer, but because of rabies."
Arslan asserts that stray dogs on the streets have turned into a public health concern. Municipalities carry out several strategies to handle the stray dog issue, including neutering, tagging and releasing them on the streets. "These procedures, meanwhile, cannot be applied uniformly across the nation or in every city. For instance, although it can be done routinely and under control in some areas of Istanbul, it cannot be done in all neighborhoods," he said.
According to Arslan, local governments do neuter stray dogs, but there is not enough support in this area. Some towns do not even have a veterinary affairs directorate, and some cannot set aside a significant budget for these projects.
Then he continued, "To solve this issue, many methods have been employed in various countries. For instance, in Europe or other countries, they are first considered for adoption before being put to sleep after a predetermined period of time. This practice is prohibited in our country due to laws and social pressure."
Arslan also pointed out that even if local governments are given all the options available for population management, a plan should be established for the problem's resolution that will last for at least five to 10 years.
Arslan emphasized the fact that a child died from a dog bite in the southeastern province of Bitlis due to a rabies infection and that this incident put the public's health at risk. He noted that rabies is considered to be an extremely hazardous disease all around the world and that certain safety measures are implemented for the sickness.
Although stray dogs are assumed to be the only source of rabies, nature can also spread the disease. There is a much larger risk in regions where the public comes in regular contact with wildlife. For instance, the Bitlis case might have been caused by wildlife. Given that dogs have started to be abandoned in forests, this poses a risk to urban areas. When interacting with the indigenous fauna, transmission of rabies can occur through direct bites or ingestion of bodily fluids containing the rabies virus.
In order to effectively treat rabies, Arslan explained that the location of the infection is crucial. "If the bite is in the extremities of the body, such as the feet, legs or hands, it takes a long time to reach the brain via nerves," he stated. With prompt identification and care, fatalities from these bites can be avoided. Although rabies is fatal, it can be completely prevented through vaccines.
