Municipality bans use of razor wire fences to protect animals

With a decision taken by the Fethiye District Municipality in the Mediterranean region of Turkey, citizens can no longer use razor wires around or on top of their garden walls and the already existing ones will be taken down so that animals will not get hurt.

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Municipality bans use of razor wire fences to protect animals

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The Municipal Council of Fethiye has banned the use of razor wire fences in the district out of consideration for animals and children.

The decision has been taken in the monthly ordinary meeting of the Fethiye Municipality in Turkey's Mediterranean province of Muğla.

The related decision of the municipality has underlined that "this type of fences, especially used in gardens and garden walls, cause animals such as cats and birds to get hurt, and they are far from offering an esthetic view." Accordingly, the Municipal Council of Fethiye has announced that the use of razor wire fences will no longer be permitted in the district.

Commenting on the decision of the council, Semih Kılınç, an animal lover living in the district, has welcomed the ban, saying, "The wire in question was extremely harmful for small animals such as cats, dogs, birds, squirrels and even for our children. This step taken by the Municipal Council should set an example for Turkey. We support this decision."

It is unanimously approved

Fethiye Vice Mayor Sabri Oğuz Bolelli has also spoken about the decision of the municipality. Expressing the Fethiye Municipality's "serious sensitivity" about animal rights, Bolelli has briefly said:

"We received a request from our animal loving citizens in Fethiye. They complained that the wires known as razor wires and used to protect gardens in our region are especially harmful for animals, birds, cats and dogs in nature as well as for children in the area.

"We took this issue to the agenda of our municipal council. The use of wire fences around the gardens and on top of garden walls has been banned with the approval of all members of our municipal council. As Fethiye Municipality, we are ready to do whatever we can for animals."

Existing ones will be taken down

Underlining the municipality's care for animals, especially during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Fethiye Mayor Alim Karaca has also reiterated that razor wires set a bad example in terms of urban aesthetics and lead to disability, injury and death of animals.

"There can be no conscientious, humane, legal or religious argument to support this. We will not let its use in Fethiye from now on. We will also rip off the previously placed razor wires," he has noted. (TP/SD)