The dog population in the city is increasing at a rapid pace. You will not find a locality in the city where stray dogs are not roaming around or threatening passers-by with deep throated growls or even running after motorcycles and other such open vehicles.

Everyday there are reports of dog attacks and dog bites specially in the slum areas where dogs seem to have taken control of vast areas while concerned authorities have no plans to tackle this growing problem.

There have been some cosmetic endeavors to control the situation but it is becoming worse by the day and the residents of Karachi, especially little children, live in constant fear of being bitten by these animals.

The situation is compounded by the fact that the rabies vaccine vital to save the lives of those bitten by rabid dogs continues to be in short supply and there are frequent stories of victims dying of dog bites as they could not access this vaccine in time.

According to a report, Karachi, the largest city in the country and province, has the highest number of dog bite cases. A private charitable hospital in Karachi reported in 2021 that most of these dog bite victims are less than 15 years of age. According to another report, the province of Sindh reports around 600 dog bites per day.

Let us take a look at the dog scenario in Pakistan. There are more than 190,200 registered dogs in Pakistan; this number is in addition to at least another 3 million stray dogs in the country.

According to a study, more than one million dog-bite cases are reported across Pakistan annually and around 2,000- 5,000 people die of rabies every year.

Five native dog breeds are found in Pakistan: the Bully Kutta, Gull Dong, Gull Terrier, Indian pariah dog, and Vikhan. Pet dogs around the country include German Shepherd, Labrador Retriever, Doberman Pinscher, Great Dane, Pitbull, Golden Retriever, Bull Dog and few others.

The average price of these dogs ranges from thirty thousand to fifty thousand rupees and as far as their upkeep is concerned health care, food, and services such as grooming, boarding, and walking are the three biggest expenses of owning a dog. According to a study in 2018, the yearly cost of keeping a dog was estimated to be rupees 20,000 to 40,000 a year.

Coming back to the issue of stray dogs a menace that continues to grow with each passing year and there seems to be little headway in combating this growing danger specially for young children.

As far as I remember stray dogs was a subject that was the responsibility of the Karachi Municipal Corporation, which had a dog pound and special vehicles with cages that would make rounds of the city and round up stray dogs through long handled neck grippers to take them to the dog pound where they were mostly put to sleep.

Over the years this practice has been suspended also because there is now a strong lobby for animal welfare and popular figures associated with it oppose such disposal of dogs in the city.

Another idea that has been considered on and off is the export of dogs to China. In October 2022, officials of Pakistan’s Ministry of Commerce told the Senate Standing Committee on Commerce that China is interested in importing donkeys from the country. Dinesh Kumar, a member of the standing committee, added that China is asking Pakistan to export donkeys as well as dogs. No headway was made on this move apart from some wise cracks in the media on the possibility of exporting donkeys from Pakistan.

Exporting dogs to China is not a bad idea, given the shortage of foreign exchange and the growing menace of dog bites in the country.

This would of course require a serious dialogue with animal welfare activists and a comprehensive programme that would include rounding up stray dogs and getting them tested according to the health standards of the importing country.

It is not only China but other countries in the region like Thailand, Vietnam, etc., who might be interested in such imports from Pakistan.

Stray dogs constitute a serious problem in the country and specially in the city of Karachi. Once a rare occurrence, now there is hardly any street or locality that is not inhabited by packs of stray dogs that pose imminent danger to passers-by, specially children.

There is an urgent need to tackle this problem and find a lasting solution that is acceptable to all and brings relief to the residents of this metropolitan city, the heart of Sindh.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023