Turkish court blocks access to map showing location of stray dogs after public outcry

A Turkish court has banned access to the internet application Havrita showing the location of stray dogs in the face of reports that dog killings have risen since the launch of the application in May.

Monday August 22 2022 06:59 pm

Duvar English

An Ankara has blocked access to the online application Havrita following a public outcry demanding its closure.

Animal lovers have been pointing out that since the map, showing the places of stray dogs, has been launched, dog killings are on the rise.

On Aug. 21, lawyers for the Istanbul Bar Association said that the torture and killing of animals constitute a crime and that they would file an application for the site's closure. Similarly, several citizens have taken the issue to social media, sharing the hashtag of “Havrita should close down” (#havritakapatılsın).

In the face of the huge reaction, Havrita's spokesperson Devrim Koçak said that the application did not have an intention of calling on people to hurt dogs. “We launched the map Havrita in May 2022. The application's purpose is for people who have been attacked by dog gangs to show where the attacks happened,” Koçak said.

Koçak also argued that images of killed dogs shared on social media were taken before the site was launched.

On Aug. 22, the Ankara 1st Criminal Court of Peace blocked access to the site.

Topics Turkey havrita dogs Turkey dogs Turkey dog killings