On the evening of March 31st, in the Kozyatağı neighbourhood of Kadıköy, Istanbul, Turkey a dog named Pakize was killed on a pavement where she had lived for over a decade.
Pakize was not crossing a road. She was not moving through traffic.
She was lying in her usual spot on the pavement, the same place she had occupied for years as a known and cared-for member of the community.
What Happened
At approximately 9:00 PM on Bayar Street, a cargo vehicle mounted the pavement.
Two delivery workers had arrived to drop off a package. While one employee exited the vehicle, the driver identified as KK drove forward.
Pakize was beneath the vehicle. He ran her over.
Witness accounts state that after the initial impact, the driver then drove over Pakize again and left the scene. Residents who witnessed the incident contacted police and filed formal complaints.
A Known Dog, Not an Unknown One
Pakize was 15 years old. She had lived in the same place for more than 10 years. She was not a transient presence. She was part of the neighbourhood. Local residents describe her as calm, slow-moving, and affectionate. She was routinely fed, monitored, and taken for veterinary care by the community.
She did not present a risk. She did not create conflict. She existed, visibly and consistently, in a shared public space.
Witness Accounts
Residents describe a sequence that raises serious concern. The vehicle is reported to have driven onto the pavement deliberately. After the impact, the driver and passenger were aware of what had happened. And then they left.
This is not being described by witnesses as a moment of uncertainty. It is being described as a sequence of decisions.
Legal Process
A complaint has been filed. The individuals involved have been identified. The legal process is ongoing.
Residents have made it clear that accountability matters not only for Pakize, but to prevent repetition. Because without consequence, incidents like this do not remain isolated.
The Position of Community Dogs
Pakize represents a category of dog that is often overlooked in policy discussions. She was not owned in the traditional sense. But she was not without care.
She lived within a system of informal guardianship, a model that exists across many parts of Türkiye, where dogs are:
Known by name
Fed and monitored
Socially integrated into neighbourhood life
These dogs occupy a recognised place in their communities. And yet, they remain legally and physically vulnerable.
Responsibility on the Road
This case does not hinge on complexity. A vehicle entered a pedestrian space. A dog was visible and stationary. A driver made a decision.
That decision had a predictable outcome.
What Residents Have Said
Residents have described Pakize as a neighbour, not a stray. They have spoken about the routine of seeing her in the same place every day. They have described the shock of seeing her killed in that same space.
Final Observation
Pakize lived in one place for over a decade. She was known, cared for, and part of daily life in that street. Her death did not occur in a hidden or remote setting.
It happened in the exact place where she was safest or should have been.
On a pavement.