In recent days, operations were carried out in Sultan Colony, Township, Shadbagh, Green Town and other areas.
Dogs arrested in a truck during an operation in Lahore. – SCREENSHOT
LAHORE:
A new campaign by the Municipal Corporation Lahore (MCL) against stray dogs has sparked controversy, with animal rights activists claiming that dogs are being killed by poison injections and other inhumane methods in different parts of the city, while protesters are also facing legal action and harassment.
In recent days, operations against stray dogs were carried out in Sultan Colony, Township, Shadbagh, Green Town and several other localities. According to the district administration and MCL officials, these actions were initiated following complaints from residents and incidents of dog attacks.
The administration launched a large-scale operation after a child was killed in Sultan Colony a few days ago, saying several stray dogs were captured during the campaign. Officials said the aim of the operation was to ensure the safety of citizens and protect lives and property.
However, animal welfare organizations and activists have called the operations illegal and inhumane. They argued that under the Punjab Animal Birth Control Policy 2021 and judicial guidelines, stray dogs should be sterilized and vaccinated instead of being killed.
Animal rights activist Fasiha Khan, in an Instagram post, claimed that stray dogs were poisoned in Lahore and called for an immediate end to the campaign.
Similarly, the Critters Ark Welfare Organization Pakistan claimed on May 6 that animal rights activists protesting outside Lahore City Hall had been arrested.
Animal welfare activist Syed Ali Haider claimed MCL staff locked dozens of dogs, including puppies, in a van and intended to kill them. He said he had urged the administration to hand over the animals to shelters instead of killing them, but after the protest, a case was filed against him at the Islampura police station for interfering with official duties.
He further claimed that he was told that the case could be withdrawn if he submitted an affidavit pledging not to protest the stray dog issue in future.
Another social media post on May 10 claimed that nearly 100 stray dogs had been killed in and around the Sultan Colony.
Meanwhile, hearings regarding the implementation of the Punjab Animal Birth Control Policy 2021 were also held at the Lahore High Court last month. On April 14, government departments assured the court that measures consistent with this policy would be adopted to control the stray dog population and that large-scale killings would be avoided.
Dismissing animal rights activists’ allegations, MCL officials said operations were conducted in accordance with the law and public safety requirements. Officials said immediate action was sometimes necessary in cases involving dangerous or sick dogs, while public safety remained the top priority.
Experts and animal welfare organizations say the long-term solution to the stray dog problem lies in large-scale sterilization, vaccination, better waste management and pet registration. They argued that culling campaigns provided only temporary relief and often failed to address the root causes of the problem.
