Why Our Spay Station Build is on Hold – And Why We Must Wait
At Dog Desk Animal Action, our mission has always been clear: reduce suffering, control stray populations humanely, and protect the lives of dogs through spay/neuter and rehabilitation.
Our planned Spay Station was set to be a cornerstone of this work — a purpose-built facility where we could sterilise stray dogs as part of a Trap–Neuter–Return (TNR) programme, preventing thousands of unwanted births and improving the welfare of entire street dog communities.
However, recent government directives in Turkey have forced us to press pause.
The New Rules That Changed Everything
As of February 2025, NGOs like ours are no longer permitted to return rehabilitated or sterilised stray dogs to their neighbourhoods.
Instead:
All sterilised dogs must be housed in municipal shelters after surgery.
Releasing rehabilitated animals back to the streets is now prohibited.
A fine of 71,965 Turkish lira (around $2,000 USD) will be issued per abandoned animal.
These changes effectively end traditional TNR programmes, replacing them with a system where every stray must be placed in municipal shelters — regardless of their health, temperament, or ability to survive happily in their home territory.
Why This Is a Death Sentence for Many Dogs
Our Spay Station was designed to save lives. But right now, it risks becoming part of a system that takes them.
In recent months, we’ve witnessed deeply concerning events, including culling at Kars Municipal Shelter and others. Standards in many municipal shelters remain dangerously low, and overcrowding is rife.
Handing healthy, sterilised dogs over to such facilities under the current system would mean sending them into conditions that could lead to neglect, disease, or death.
We cannot, in good conscience, use your donations to fund a build that would channel dogs into harm’s way.
What About Cats?
We also explored the idea of revising the Spay Station design to focus exclusively on sterilising street cats. At first, this seemed like a possible way forward — allowing us to move ahead with the build while still tackling overpopulation.
However, with public attention increasingly turning towards street cats and mounting pressure to remove them from the streets, we are deeply concerned that the same restrictions and shelter requirements could soon be applied to them. Building for cats under these circumstances could leave us in the same position we face now with dogs: investing in a facility that cannot operate humanely under the law.
Our Priority: Protecting Dogs & Using Funds Wisely
We take the trust of our supporters very seriously. Every donation you make must be used in the most effective way possible to help animals.
Right now, that means:
Holding the funds raised for the Spay Station safely until the situation changes.
Continuing to fight for a reversal of this damaging policy.
Working with other advocates to increase public and political pressure for humane stray management.
Why We’re Hopeful
While the current situation is deeply frustrating, the fight is far from over.
In recent weeks, we’ve seen a surge in pressure from within Turkey and abroad to reverse the government’s position on stray dogs. The public outcry is growing, and momentum is building.
We believe this will come to a head in the near future — and when it does, our Spay Station plans will be ready to go.
Continuing the Work Where We Can
Although the Spay Station project is on hold, our commitment to reducing animal suffering has not stopped. We continue to carry out spay and neuter surgeries for cats in clinic, helping to control their populations humanely. Where it is legally permissible (owned dogs living in poverty), we also sterilise small numbers of dogs, ensuring that every opportunity to prevent unwanted litters is taken. These efforts may be on a smaller scale than planned, but they remain a vital part of our mission until we can resume full operations in a legally compliant manner.
Thank You for Standing With Us
Your donations remain secure, ring-fenced, and ready to fund the Spay Station build when it can truly serve its purpose:
saving lives, not risking them.
Until then, we will continue to work tirelessly, speak out fearlessly, and fight for a humane, compassionate approach to managing stray animals in Turkey.
Because every dog deserves more than survival — they deserve safety, dignity, and life.