300 dog bite cases reported in first five days of 2026, most victims were aged two or younger
KARACHI:
As many as 300 cases of dog bites were reported at Indus Hospital in Korangi in the first five days of the new year, highlighting a worrying surge in stray dog attacks in several areas of the metropolis.
The figures were shared by Aftab Gauhar, director of the rabies prevention clinic at Indus Hospital, during an interview with The Express PK Press Club.
The hospital shared images of children mauled by stray dogs. Faces disfigured for life, eyes damaged, lips torn off, the images were too graphic to print. He said a visible increase in stray dog attacks was recorded in areas such as Korangi, Landhi, Baldia, Hub Chowki and Gadap Town.
According to Gauhar, the majority of victims were children under the age of two, many of whom suffered serious facial injuries following the attacks. He also cited the case of a 41-year-old man who lost a finger after being bitten by a stray dog.
He said all victims were given timely post-exposure prophylactic (PEP) vaccines to prevent rabies. Highlighting the seriousness of the disease, Gauhar warned that rabies is almost always fatal if not treated immediately.
He advised that in case of a dog bite, the affected area should immediately be washed thoroughly under running tap water with soap for at least 10 to 15 minutes, followed by immediate medical consultation and vaccination to reduce the risk of infection.
Difficult decisions expected
Meanwhile, in a recent media interaction, Mayor Murtaza Wahab said that while there was a group opposing the culling of stray dogs, public safety concerns could not be ignored. He said the Sindh government had introduced a dog sterilization policy on the demand of animal lovers, but it had not yielded the expected results. “Whatever decision the city council makes regarding stray dogs, it will be implemented,” he added.
Meanwhile, during a recent meeting on Sindh Rabies Control Program (RCPS) Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah said that protection of human lives from rabies was a top priority of the Sindh government. He asked relevant departments to accelerate vaccination and sterilization efforts, ensure efficient operation and modernization of rabies centers, and strengthen public awareness campaigns.
However, whether a dog is vaccinated or not, the bite is painful. To control the population, municipal authorities eliminated stray dogs. However, in the face of strong resistance from animal rights activists, a project to sterilize and vaccinate stray dogs was launched.
Ironically, after spending millions of rupees, only 19,449 stray dogs were sterilized and 30,729 vaccinated in various districts of Sindh.
The total cost of the project is Rs 963.316 million, of which Rs 302.988 million (31.4%) had been utilized as of October 31, 2025. According to these figures, the government spent over Rs 6,000 per dog to sterilize and vaccinate 50,718 dogs.
For the financial year 2025-26, Rs 265.02 million has been allocated, of which Rs 66.255 million has already been released. The project schedule has been extended until June 2026.
