Whiskers of discontent - Turkish stray dogs in the recent uprising

Spending anytime in Istanbul you can't help but notice the amount of street dogs which inhabit any public space. In a country where dogs and cats are traditionally not kept at home where they are seen as somewhat 'dirty' they are well maintained as public property in the streets where they are fed, conversed with and given places to sleep. In recent years government proposals to exterminate the strays has been met with fierce opposition. It is only fitting then that they get their look in during the last ten days of uprising against the AKP government.

Istanbul street dogs defending its city. #occupyturkey #occupygezi #istanbul #turkey twitter.com/subtitulado/st…— Sapiens (@subtitulado) June 3, 2013

Istanbul's street cats & dogs faced tear gas too. Check on them, spare some water & food. They #occupygezi all the time! #direngaziparki— Morgan Brinlee (@MBrinlee) June 1, 2013

Even dogs in #Istanbul are taking the streets. twitter.com/Cyberela/statu… #OccupyGezi #OccupyTaksim #OWS #OSF #OLA #ODC #OccupyHomeComing— Jayron (@Jayron26) June 2, 2013

Istanbul: a stray dog affected by tear gas getting some help from the demonstratorstwitter.com/cArsi_1982/sta…— Okan Mısırlı (@okanmisirli) June 2, 2013

Rebel dog and protester at #Istanbul resting. via FB "europeans against the political system" #OccupyGezi twitter.com/Cyberela/statu…— Cyberella (@Cyberela) June 2, 2013

Sunglasses Wearing Dog has his own page on Buzzfeed.

Look at this protesting dog help clean up #turkey #insolidarity twitter.com/EmilyAMcCann/s…— Emily McCann (@EmilyAMcCann) June 3, 2013

"Close the park and I will shit in the mall"

If you liked this you will probably also like Loukanikos the Greek riot dog. Post any more photos you have come across in the photos below - but not the one of police spraying a dog in the face which is from Brazil last year.