KARACHI:
Over the last few years, there has been an increase in the number of dog bite cases across Sindh. The population of stray dogs is rising at a rapid pace across the country. Provincial and municipal authorities have failed to tackle the issue effectively. Consequently, citizens are constantly faced with the threat of dog attacks in residential and commercial areas.
Children playing in the streets and pedestrians regularly become victims of dog bites. Immediately dressing the wound and getting an anti-rabies vaccination can prevent rabies, yet many deaths as a result of rabies are reported in Pakistan each year. It is becoming increasingly difficult for residents to move around neighbourhoods. Garbage piles in residential areas have allowed the dogs to sustain themselves. Stray dogs have become a source of nuisance in neighbourhoods as they are constantly barking and often appear in front of cars and motorcyclists causing accidents.
Clearly, the mass killing of stray dogs has failed to curb the problem. The municipal authorities should work with animal welfare organisations to rescue and shelter the dogs. The dogs should be vaccinated and neutered to limit their population. They should be fed and taken care of to prevent attacks on people. The authorities should tackle this issue so that citizens can heave a sigh of relief.
Muhammad Faraz Uddin
Karachi
Published in The Express Tribune, March 19th, 2023.
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