Kangal Abandonment in Turkey: From Pasture To Pavement
The Kangal dog, Turkey’s national treasure and guardian of the flock, is facing a silent crisis on its home soil. Once celebrated for its strength, loyalty, and noble role in rural life, the Kangal is increasingly being abandoned on Turkey’s streets — a victim of overbreeding, misinformation, and systemic gaps in animal welfare.
While the breed’s image remains iconic, the reality for thousands of Kangals and Kangal mixes in Turkey is one of neglect, hardship, and uncertainty. It's a growing tragedy, rooted in three key challenges: uncontrolled breeding, rising abandonment, and collapsing shelter systems.
The Cultural Significance of the Kangal
The Kangal is more than just a dog in Turkey — it is a symbol of strength and protection, historically used to guard livestock in harsh mountain regions. These dogs are deeply woven into Turkish rural life, especially in provinces like Sivas, where the breed originated.
The Sterilisation Gap and the Puppy Boom
One of the most pressing issues fuelling the Kangal abandonment crisis is the lack of widespread sterilisation.
In rural and semi-rural areas, working dogs are often left unneutered.
Breeding is rarely controlled or monitored.
Puppies are born in large numbers — far more than local communities can care for.
Many of these puppies are given away casually, sold without oversight, or simply dumped when they become too costly or unruly. Without access to low-cost or free sterilisation programmes, the cycle repeats endlessly — litter after litter, year after year.
From Working Dog to Street Dog
When Kangals are no longer useful — too old or simply surplus to requirement — many are abandoned in towns, villages, and along rural roadsides. Others are the result of unplanned litters, unwanted from the start.
These dogs end up:
Roaming the streets, often forming packs.
Suffering from malnutrition, injury, or disease.
At risk of being poisoned or shot as part of informal "population control."
Despite their strength, Kangals are not street survivors. Bred for loyalty and work, they struggle to adapt to chaotic, dangerous urban life. Many die prematurely from injury or neglect.
Shelters Overwhelmed and Underfunded
Municipal shelters across Turkey are at or beyond capacity, especially in areas with high stray populations. These facilities often lack the space, funding, or staff to properly house and care for large breeds like the Kangal.
Some critical problems include:
Limited intake capacity: Shelters euthanise to make space, we know this from whistle-blowers.
Inadequate care: Large, high-drive breeds deteriorate quickly in small cages.
No rehoming strategy: Kangals are hard to place, especially in urban areas.
The few non-governmental rescues that exist are overwhelmed and under-resourced, doing their best to pick up the pieces with little outside support.
The Bigger Picture: Why This Matters
The abandonment of Kangals is not just a local issue — it’s emblematic of broader animal welfare challenges in Turkey:
A national lack of accessible, affordable sterilisation.
Inadequate public education about responsible dog ownership.
Cultural shifts that view dogs as security assets rather than sentient animals.
Insufficient investment in shelter infrastructure and stray population management.
What Needs to Change
To turn the tide for Kangals in Turkey, a multi-pronged solution is needed:
1. National Sterilisation Campaigns
Mass neutering of owned and stray dogs is essential to break the cycle of overpopulation.
2. Public Education
Raising awareness in rural areas about the importance of sterilisation and long-term care of working dogs.
3. Legislation and Enforcement
Laws that require breeders to be licensed and limit backyard breeding are key.
4. Support for Municipal and Private Shelters
Investment in infrastructure, training, and adoption outreach can help shelters manage intake humanely.
5. Community-Based Solutions
Local animal welfare groups need funding and support to implement trap-neuter-return (TNR), foster care, and street dog feeding programmes.
Respect the Kangal. Protect the Kangal.
Kangals are a symbol of Turkish heritage — but they deserve more than symbolism. They deserve care, protection, and respect.
Without urgent action, the streets of Turkey will continue to fill with once-proud dogs now broken by abandonment. The cycle can be stopped — but only if sterilisation, education, and compassion become part of the national conversation.
Join the Movement: Respect the Breed. Protect the Kangal.
Support Dog Desk Animal Action working to reduce street dog suffering in Turkey. Advocate for sterilisation, donate to our programmes, and help spread the word.
Together, we can protect one of Turkey’s most iconic breeds from a future on the streets.