The Foreign Office has cautioned travellers about the risk of contracting a disease - and it could be fatal. According to the safety and security section on the GOV.UK website, you should avoid approaching dogs, no matter how friendly they may seem. In the 'Stray Dogs' subsection, tourists visiting Turkey are advised: 'Stray dogs are common in most towns and cities.
"They often gather in parks and open areas and may display aggressive behaviour.'" Because of this, they further caution: "Take care and do not approach stray dogs. If you’re bitten, get medical advice immediately. Rabies and other animal-borne diseases are present in Turkey."
Whilst rabies is a rare, it is a "serious infection that's usually caught from a bite or scratch of an infected animal. It's almost always fatal once symptoms appear, but vaccination and early treatment can prevent it", says the NHS.
Rabies symptoms typically develop within three to 12 weeks, but in some cases, they may show up within a few days or they can take several months or even years to appear. "Once symptoms appear, rabies is almost always fatal", the NHS warns.
Symptoms include:
If you're heading to Turkey, the government advises travellers to follow two key rules regarding money and the national flag. Ignoring them could land you in serious trouble.
They warn: "It is illegal to insult the Turkish nation or the national flag. These laws can also apply to comments or images online no matter where you were or when you posted them. Defacing Turkish banknotes is also illegal. Offences under these laws are punishable by a prison sentence of between 6 months and 3 years."
They also warn that there are certain areas which are being recommended to avoid. "Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)", they add. At present, the "FCDO advises against all travel to within 10km of the border with Syria due to fighting and a heightened risk of terrorism."
