According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the number of registered pets in Türkiye, as part of the pet identification program conducted since 2021, has reached 2,371,788. According to information obtained from the Ministry by Anadolu Agency (AA), pet owners are registering their animals under Animal Protection Law No. 5199 and the Regulation on the Identification and Registration of Cats, Dogs and Ferrets. These animals are registered in the Pet Animal Registration System (PETVET).

PETVET records include the animal's name, passport number, species, breed, gender, color, date of birth, owner's name, location details (province, district, village/neighborhood), and emergency contact information. Additionally, information on vaccinations, changes of ownership, lost pets and operations performed on the animal are also recorded in the system.

Under the regulations, pet owners are obliged to ensure the identification of cats, dogs and ferrets, and to report information regarding birth, death, loss and changes of ownership to the provincial/district Directorates of Agriculture and Forestry. As of Jan. 1, 2021, the number of registered pets has reached 2,371,788, including 1,421,622 cats, 950,125 dogs and 41 ferrets.

As part of the system, cats, dogs and ferrets are implanted with a subcutaneous microchip, which can be read using a handheld terminal, this allows for the identification of abandoned animals and determination of ownership, all vaccinations, including rabies shots, are recorded in the system.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry provided an opportunity for pet owners to submit a declaration to provincial and district directorates by Dec. 31, 2022, to facilitate microchip application and registration procedures. Those who submitted declarations were allowed to complete the microchip application and registration process without any penalties; all processes for reported pets were required to be completed by June 30.

During this period, 552,127 declarations were received, and registrations have been completed for 244,259 of them.

Pet owners who fail to complete registration despite submitting a declaration will face administrative fines.

Change of ownership

In the event of a change of ownership, the new owner must apply to the provincial/district directorates within 60 days with the "Pet Ownership Change Certificate" to update the database and passport of the animal.

Pets traveling abroad with their owners or commercially must have a microchip applied, a passport issued, and be registered in PETVET. Domestic transfers of these animals also require them to carry their passports. Pet owners without pets' passports will face administrative sanctions.

Unowned animals must be identified by local authorities. Animals that are adopted from the streets can be registered without any penalties.

Pet owners of pets up to 6 months old can apply to the provincial/district directorates or freelance veterinary doctors for identification and registration procedures.