Stray dogs hound residents in capital

The emergence of stray dogs has made life in the twin cities difficult as several areas of Rawalpindi and Islamabad have become a den of free-roaming dogs.

Remote towns in Tramari, Chatta Bakhtawar, Bhara Kahu, Bani Gala, D-11, G-13, Bari Imam, and Margalla Town are crawling with stray dogs. Densely populated housing areas of G-7, Sohan, Khanna, Ghauri Town, PWD, Soan Garden, Jinnah Garden, CBR Town, Gulzar-e-Quaid, Gulraiz 1 and 2, Dhok Chaudhrian, Yousaf Colony, Chaklala Scheme 3, Committee Chowk, Satellite Town, Sadiqabad, Dhok Khabba, Dhok Piracha, Khayaban-e-Sir Syed, Pirwadhai, Fauji Colony, Shams Colony, Naseerabad, Westridge, Range Road, Tench Bhata, Afshan Colony, Quaid-e-Azam Colony, and others are also seen crowded with strays.

A resident of Ghauri Town VIP Phase Awais Dilbar told the media, "It is a matter of great concern as stray dogs move in packs and pose serious risks to residents, especially children. Stray dogs bit several children during the last few months and we lodged complaints with the authorities concerned but to no avail."

A Capital Development Authority (CDA) Sanitation Directorate official informed that thousands of complaints lodged by the residents were awaiting action as the dog shooting wing of the CDA was refrained from culling stray dogs due to a decision jointly taken by the CDA Chairman, deputy commissioner Islamabad, and other relevant officials of the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration.

A sanctuary for stray dogs was established in Chauntra to provide shelter and medical care to stray dogs, however, one sanctuary was evidently found insufficient to deal with such a large number of street dogs, he added.

"I was bitten by a stray dog in Allama Iqbal colony more than a year ago. I got vaccinated after facing huge difficulty as the anti-rabies vaccine was short in the government hospitals. I request the local bodies to take this matter seriously as thousands of people in Pakistan lost their lives due to dog bites annually," said Rawalpindi Cantt resident Umair Javed.

It merits mention that the Global Alliance for Rabies Control notes that more than 80,500 cases of dog bites are reported across Pakistan annually, and the World Health Organization estimates that up to 5,000 people die of rabies in the country every year.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 28^th, 2022.