Data indicates that 150,000 people across Punjab have suffered dog bites in the last six months
LAHORE:
The growing population of stray dogs in Punjab has become a serious public safety and animal welfare concern as incidents of dog bites rise along with reports of inhumane killings, highlighting gaps in the implementation of existing policies.
In a recent case, Yasir Khan, a father of four from Umerkay Kalan in Sambrial tehsil, Sialkot, reportedly died after being bitten by a stray dog. Official data indicates that nearly 150,000 people across Punjab have suffered dog bites in the last six months.
Residents say packs of stray dogs are increasingly a threat to daily life. Farah Shehzad, a resident of Garhi Shahu, said, ” Stray dogs roam in packs. Children and adults cannot safely step outside their homes.” Asifa Khan, of Canal Road, added: “Killing dogs is not a solution. The government must take effective and permanent measures to control their population.”
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Animal rights groups point to Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate and Release (TNVR), approved by the Punjab government in 2022, as a scientifically sound approach to controlling stray dogs. “The purpose of TNVR is to protect citizens from dog bites and rabies,” said Aiza Haider, an animal rights activist. She added that poor implementation of the policy has contributed to public anger and the continued use of inhumane methods.
Dr. Talha Yazdani, deputy director of Punjab Livestock Lahore and a veterinarian at Burki Veterinary Hospital, said: “During the last few months, 300 dogs have been sterilized and 250 vaccinated in our center. Bringing stray dogs from the field is the responsibility of the local authorities, but dogs must be allowed to use them as segun when they are seen as segun. Wild animals are finished.”
He also explained that the increasing urban dog population is linked to reproductive patterns: “A male dog can mate with several females in a single season. Sterilization of male dogs could be a more practical and cost-effective approach.” Dr. Highlighting the public health aspect, Yazdani noted, “Pakistan has committed to becoming rabies-free by 2030, making large-scale vaccination of stray dogs inevitable.”
Read more: The LHC allows the killing of stray dogs by humane methods
Earlier, in a landmark judgement, the Lahore High Court banned the killing of stray dogs by shooting, poisoning or other inhumane methods, declaring such acts illegal and unconstitutional across Punjab. The verdict prompted the provincial government to implement the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Policy 2021, which provides for the humane capture, vaccination, sterilization, tagging and release of stray dogs.
Dr. Haider Ali Khan, spokesman for the livestock and dairy development department, said municipal staff will catch dogs and transport them to veterinary centers for sterilization before returning them to their premises.
Despite a ban on killing stray dogs by the Lahore High Court, complaints continue from across the province about dogs being poisoned or shot. Experts and citizens say the problem requires scientific, humane and policy-based interventions, rather than reactive measures, to ensure public safety while respecting animal rights.
