A Van, a Camera, and a Broken Promise to Istanbul’s Strays

In Istanbul’s Büyükçekmece district, in the Çakmaklı neighbourhood, disturbing footage has surfaced showing a municipal “Street Animal Transport Vehicle” running over a stray dog lying on the road. The event was captured by a security camera from a nearby apartment block.

The video clearly shows the van, labelled as belonging to the municipality’s street animal services, driving over the unmoving dog. Two personnel exit the vehicle, approach the dog, wait a moment, and then lift it into the back of the van before departing, presumably to dispose or relocate it.

The incident has caused public outrage, especially because local authorities had previously made claims about their compassion and care for street animals, claims that now ring hollow in light of this footage.

What This Incident Reveals

1. Hypocrisy in municipal rhetoric
Many municipalities, especially those run by progressive or opposition parties, often use animal welfare as an element of their public image. But when that rhetoric doesn’t translate into humane practice, when enforcement, staff training, protocols, or oversight are lax, the dissonance becomes glaringly obvious. Here, the promise of “animal love” lasted only until a dog lying motionless was driven over.

2. Protocol and training failures
If staff had recognized the dog as critically injured, they might have been expected to call a veterinarian or animal rescue before loading it into a vehicle. The video suggests delay, uncertainty, or mishandling. Either there was no protocol, or it was ignored.

3. Lack of accountability and oversight
Cameras, media, and public pressure are sometimes the only oversight for municipal actions. Without citizen journalism, watchdogs or independent audits, such actions may never come to light. Even when exposed, real consequences are often minimal.

4. The vulnerability of stray animals
Strays already exist at the margins of society’s concern. They lack guardians, legal status, and institutional defenders. When authorities themselves mistreat them, it reveals how powerless these animals are to claim their dignity or safety.

Broader Implications & Questions

• How are staff selected, trained, and supervised? Municipal employees dealing with animals should have veterinary or animal welfare training or work closely with animal welfare NGOs.

• Is there an independent body to investigate abuse allegations? Without an external inspection or audit, cover ups or “furniture” rearranging become easy.

• How can citizens demand better practices? Public awareness, pressure via media and social platforms, local activism, and legal recourse (where possible) are critical.

A Call for Change: What Can Be Done

1. Transparent investigations
   The municipality should open an independent investigation into the incident. The findings should be public, along with disciplinary actions if wrongdoing is confirmed.

2. Better protocols & emergency response
   Define clear procedure: when encountering an injured animal, staff should alert veterinary services, provide first aid, document, and transport only if safe and justified.

3. Training and sensitization
   Personnel should receive regular training on humane animal handling, distress assessment, and ethics. Regular refresher courses help prevent complacency.

4. Public reporting channels
   Citizens should have accessible, protected means to report abuse or misconduct, with follow-ups and feedback.

5. Partnerships with NGOs
   Municipalities should coordinate with animal welfare groups especially in emergencies rather than acting alone.

In Conclusion

The distressing footage from Büyükçekmece is more than a local scandal; it’s a reflection of the gap between political posturing and institutional responsibility. True compassion for animals is not in slogans or campaign promises — it’s in consistent, accountable, humane systems that operate even when nobody is watching.

Let this incident spark public demand for better oversight, stronger protections, and above all, a municipal culture that treats vulnerable lives — even stray ones — with dignity.