Veterinarians are not prone to drama. They are practical, clinical people who spend their days making careful decisions based on evidence and outcomes. So when they raise concerns, it usually isn’t speculation or emotion it’s experience talking.
That’s why the response from veterinary professionals connected to Ankara University matters so much right now.
Their message has been calm but clear: the sudden removal of the campus dogs presents real welfare risks, and the lack of transparency about what has happened to those animals is deeply troubling.
These dogs were already safe
According to those working closest to them, the dogs were not neglected strays or unknown animals drifting through the area. They were long-term campus residents who had been sterilised, vaccinated and monitored.
Their health histories were known. Their behaviour was known. They were settled and stable.
From a veterinary perspective, this is exactly what responsible community dog management looks like animals living safely in a familiar environment with ongoing oversight.
Which is why their removal feels so counterintuitive.
When dogs are already healthy and managed, taking them away rarely improves their welfare. In many cases, it does the opposite.
Why removal creates risk
Vets understand something the public doesn’t always see: relocation is not a simple or harmless process for dogs.
A sudden capture and transfer into an unfamiliar facility can trigger intense stress. Stress weakens the immune system. Illness spreads faster in crowded environments. Older or more vulnerable dogs can decline quickly. Animals who were coping well outdoors may deteriorate behind kennel doors.
These aren’t worst-case hypotheticals. They’re patterns veterinary professionals encounter again and again.
So when they say removal carries risk, they aren’t guessing. They’re speaking from hard-earned experience.
That’s what makes their concern feel so grounded and so serious.
The silence that followed
If the dogs had simply been moved for legitimate care, this would be easy to explain.
A location.
A statement.
A reassurance.
Instead, there has been no clear confirmation about where the dogs have been taken or what condition they’re in. The municipality has not issued a public statement outlining their whereabouts or welfare status.
That absence of information is what’s amplifying concern. Because transparency protects animals. Silence doesn’t.
Without knowing where the dogs are, veterinarians cannot monitor them. They cannot check their health. They cannot advocate for treatment if something goes wrong.
In practical terms, the dogs have fallen out of sight and that’s when animals are most vulnerable.
More than “just strays”
For students and staff, these dogs weren’t background figures. They were part of daily life.
They slept under familiar benches, wandered between buildings, greeted the same people every morning. Many had names. People brought them food, water, and quiet affection.
Their presence was normal. Their absence is noticeable.
But for the vets, this isn’t simply emotional. It’s professional responsibility. When animals you’ve treated and monitored for years suddenly disappear from oversight, you don’t shrug and move on.
You ask questions. Because you know what can happen otherwise.
A simple and reasonable request
The veterinary community isn’t asking for anything extreme. There’s no dramatic demand here.
They are asking for something very basic: clarity.
Where have the dogs been taken?
Are they safe?
Can their welfare be verified?
If proper care is being provided, those answers should be easy to give.
Until they are, concern remains entirely justified.
Listening to the experts
At Dog Desk Animal Action, we’ve learned to trust the people on the front line. And when veterinarians, the people trained to recognise suffering before anyone else sees it say something doesn’t feel right, we take that seriously.
Because history shows that animals are safest when their care is visible and accountable.
When things go quiet, risk grows.
So we’ll keep amplifying the vets’ voices. We’ll keep asking for transparency. And we’ll keep standing with the people whose only goal is simple:
To make sure those dogs are safe.
Nothing more. Nothing political. Just welfare.