Credit hayvan.hemsiresi.mine.vural
On 14 April 2026, three dogs, Zeus, Mavi and Kırmızı were taken from the Kadıköy waterfront in Istanbul. They were not involved in an incident. They were not reported as dangerous. They were simply there.
Today, there is one question that has not been answered:
Where are they?
The Removal
Municipal teams from Kadıköy Municipality collected the three dogs from the rıhtım (waterfront area). Animal rights advocate Mine Vural, who has been documenting the case, states clearly:
There was no biting incident
There was no public safety threat
The dogs were removed simply because they were present
These were not unknown animals. They were named, recognised, and part of a local care network.
Known Dogs, Known Place
The dogs had an established presence in Kadıköy. Local volunteers and groups including Dört Ayaklı Şehir state that they were:
Regularly monitored
Known to the community
Living within a stable environment
This matters because it challenges the narrative that all street dogs are unmanaged or unpredictable. These were community dogs living peacefully in a managed place.
After Collection: Silence
Once taken, the trail stops. There are:
No verified updates
No confirmed location
No images or records of their condition
The absence of information is now the central issue. The same dogs who were visible, photographed, named, known have effectively disappeared from public view. No verifiable information has been provided about where they are or what condition they are in.
Legal Context and Dispute
The case has drawn criticism from political and advocacy groups. The Türkiye İşçi Partisi (Kadıköy branch) has questioned the legality of the removal, pointing to:
Law No. 5199 Animal Protection Law, which governs the treatment of street animals
Existing timelines that allow municipalities several years to develop appropriate shelter infrastructure
They argue that:
Removing dogs without adequate facilities risks placing them in conditions that may not meet welfare standards
The action may be inconsistent with the intent of the law
The Core Issue: Visibility vs Disappearance
This case is not about a dog attack. It is not about an emergency intervention.
It is about a shift:
From visible, known dogs
To unaccounted animals behind closed systems
Before:
The dogs were seen daily
Their condition could be observed
Their behaviour was understood
After:
There is no public visibility
No independent verification
No clear outcome
Why This Matters Beyond Three Dogs
This is not an isolated concern. Across Turkey, there is increasing focus on:
Collection of street dogs
Shelter capacity and conditions
Accountability after removal
The question is no longer just whether dogs are taken.
It is:
What happens next and who is able to see it?
Conclusion
Zeus, Mavi and Kırmızı were not invisible animals. They were:
Named
Known
Part of a community
Their collection is not just about three dogs. It reflects a wider issue:
When animals are removed from public spaces, they often disappear from public accountability as well.
Until there is transparency, clear records, accessible information, and verifiable outcomes the same question will continue to be asked:
Where are they now?