Gebze Municipality made a statement regarding the massacre. In the statement, it was claimed that the bodies of some animals were collected from the streets, not killed.
The statement included the following:
“We do not accept the images. The responsible parties have been suspended, and an investigation has been launched until the matter is clarified.”
In the statement acknowledging the massacre, the following expressions were used:
“Following the circulation of images of deceased stray animals in the press and on social media, immediate action was taken. The images of the dead stray animals that have been reflected to the public:
– 16 stray dogs were collected dead by our teams from the Balçık shelter and streets.
– 3 dogs lost their lives due to traffic accidents in Gebze.
– 10 dogs could not be saved due to their health problems.
Similarly, of the cats reflected in the images, 9 were collected dead from the streets due to various reasons, 4 died in traffic accidents, and 2 died despite treatment efforts. The reports of these losses have been delivered to the relevant authorities.
There are approximately 10,000 stray animals, including cats and dogs, living in the Gebze region. In line with the routine activities of the Gebze Municipality Veterinary Department and citizens’ notifications, efforts are being made to ensure the healthy living of these stray animals and to prevent any existential problems they may cause. The Shelter and Feeding Center we established in the Balçık region, far from the city center and highways, serves this purpose.
In this region, 4,000 dogs live and are sustained with the cooperation of our Municipality and animal lovers.
The images of dead stray animals are considered unacceptable by our institution. An investigation has been launched. The responsible individuals have been suspended until the investigation is completed. Additionally, following the application of our Gebze Municipality, the Gebze Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has also launched an investigation regarding the images.”
