03.06.2026 17:21
An unknown number of dogs were dumped by unidentified individuals from a pickup truck bed into the Milleyha Wetland, a protected area in Hatay's Samandağ district that hosts hundreds of bird species. Following the scandalous incident, which endangered the natural ecosystem and was captured second by second on mobile phones by locals, municipal teams launched an investigation after complaints from residents.
In the Samandağ district of Hatay, numerous dogs were dumped from a pickup truck by unidentified individuals into the internationally significant and protected Milleyha Wetland. The moments when the dogs were released into the sensitive ecosystem, which hosts 316 bird species, were recorded second by second by local residents using their mobile phone cameras.
The incident occurred at the Milleyha Wetland, a stopover point for migratory birds in the Samandağ district. An unidentified group, reportedly including women, brought numerous dogs to the area in the bed of a pickup truck. As the truck's tailgate opened, dozens of dogs ran toward the wetland, a habitat for birds, and disappeared from sight.
INVESTIGATION LAUNCHED
This irresponsible intervention in the area, which serves as a breeding and feeding ground for hundreds of rare bird species, drew strong reactions from local residents. While the individuals who released the dogs quickly fled the scene in the pickup truck, bystanders documented the moments on their mobile phones as evidence. Following intense complaints from the local community and the submission of evidence, municipal authorities took action and launched a comprehensive investigation into the incident. It is expected that the identities of the individuals who endangered both the bird population and the fate of the released dogs will be determined.
Here are images from those moments;