TURKEY’S main opposition party sent this week an animal rights decree to its municipalities on World Animal Day, asking them to take steps to improve living conditions for stray animals.

The decree was signed by Republican People’s Party (CHP) Deputy Chairman Veli Ağbaba, Secretary-General Gürsel Tekin and “Şero,” the CHP’s cat mascot who has been a resident of the party headquarters for years.

The CHP runs both the Aydin Province and the Didim Council areas.

It says that municipalities are responsible for the rehabilitation of stray animals and their coexistence with human beings and asks them to consider steps for the rehabilitation of stray animals as a priority while drafting their budgets for the year 2015.

The decree urges those municipalities that do not employ veterinarians to establish veterinary units or increase the number of veterinarians where such units are understaffed.

It calls on the municipalities to set up animal shelters and improve conditions at existing ones and to campaign to raise awareness about the adoption of animals left at shelters.

Another measure the CHP asks the municipalities to take is to place water and food containers in appropriate corners of cities, offer ambulance services to respond to animal injuries in road accidents and to bury deceased pets or stray animals.