Pakistan is experiencing an unprecedented rise in the stray dog population with cases of dog bites, animal abuse, and rabies making headlines every other day. Although the exact number is unknown, it is estimated that there are at least 3 million stray dogs in the country. More than one million dog bite cases are reported across Pakistan annually and around 2,000- 5,000 people die of rabies every year.
The area of Karim Block Allama Iqbal Town is popular and is the best place for shopping for garments of popular brands at very affordable prices. Residents of Karim Block Allama Iqbal Town Lahore are complaining about the rising population of stray dogs in the streets. Children and other people face difficulty while traveling from their homes to other places because of stray dogs everywhere in the streets. Although, members of Karim Block gathered today on Sunday on a get-together arranged by Mr Zashan in respect of residents of Karim Block. They discussed the issues related to Karim Block and unanimously vowed to resolve them as well. However, it is important that higher authorities should take action to control this problem which is posing unprecedented challenges to the residents of Karim Block.
A few months back, Commissioner Lahore announced the construction of a center for stray dogs in the City. He took this step to protect animals. He announced allotting 5 to 10 kanals of government land where a center for stray dogs will be constructed. He said stray dogs will be vaccinated and neutered (prevention of dog breeding) at the centre. He said for the first time in Punjab, a special dog protection centre will be established for which initial discussions with LDA officials have been completed.
Around the globe, the most common strategies to control stray dog populations include mass culling, sheltering, and the Catch, neuter, vaccinate and release (CNVR) policy. For years, Pakistan has tried to control the stray dog population through mass killings but has failed to keep it from rising. This in itself is proof of the policy’s ineffectiveness. Similarly, the sheltering policy is not culturally or economically feasible in Pakistan due to the lack of animal shelters and religious beliefs which reduce adoption rates. The only policy that seems to fit perfectly with the country’s socio-cultural context is the CNVR strategy. The policy has proven to be cost-effective, sustainable, ethical, and feasible in other Muslim developing countries like Turkey.
Keeping in mind the complex nature of the stray dog problem, it is important to tackle it from various dimensions. Good implementation of CNVR with enforcement of animal protection legislation, public awareness, registration, and identification of the free-ranging dogs is vital to reducing the stray dog population, ensuring animal welfare, and protecting citizens from dog bites and rabies risks.
