The canine question

Karachi has gone to the dogs. Quite literally. From so-called ‘posh’ parts of this expansive metropolis to the shanty towns and low-income areas, canines rule the roost. They prowl the city with immense confidence, rummaging through heaps of garbage and commanding the roads and streets unchallenged.

Though there are no solid numbers available on Karachi’s stray dog population, the number of patients reporting at the city’s hospitals with dog bites is considerable, while numerous deaths due to rabies caused by dog bite have been reported from across Sindh this year.

According to one news report, around 150,000 dog bite cases were reported from across Sindh between January and September of this year as per figures of the provincial health department. Karachi reported the highest number of cases during this period (17,800), while Naushahro Feroze came in second with 13,000. It is also true that government officials have acknowledged that dog bite cases are “massively” under-reported in the country.

For those of us in the news business, reporting and editing stories about dogs attacking people, particularly children, are very disturbing, especially if the victims lose their lives. Such stories — as the numbers stated above will attest to — are routine from all parts of Sindh.

According to one academic study conducted at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), male adults were the most vulnerable population, while the same study said that government hospitals across Pakistan receive between 50 and 70 dog bite cases daily.

Of course, the million-rupee question here is: what is the Sindh government doing about this severe crisis? By the looks of it, not very much. There is a Rs. 1.25 billion rabies control programme in the province, but what exactly it has achieved is unclear. The programme aims to control the stray dog population in Sindh by neutering the beasts and vaccinating them so in case, God forbid, they do end up biting someone, the victim will not get rabies.

Officials, including those belonging to the Pakistan Medical Association, have said they favour “one-time culling” of dogs along with vaccinating and neutering the canines. The Sindh Health Minister has also said on the floor of the provincial assembly that she favours culling. Now here lies the issue: some, including animal rights advocates, as well as government officials, do not favour culling. For example the PM’s Special Assistant on Health Dr Faisal Sultan recently told a seminar that culling dogs should be the “last resort”. Most animal rights activists will not even stand for this.

While it is true that there is tremendous cruelty to animals in our society, the stray dog problem is out of control and desperate times call for desperate measures. After all, while killing dogs is not a pleasant solution, watching kids die due to dog bites is completely unacceptable. Perhaps what is needed here is a multipronged approach from the Sindh government.

Culling should be carried out in a scientific manner, especially in areas of the city and the rest of the province where the stray dog population has gone through the roof, and where there are a high number of reports of dog bites. This, of course, does not mean a canine genocide, but rather a managed cull through which the dog population is brought under control.

Culling should be coupled with neutering and vaccinating the pooches so that their ability to breed further is curtailed. Moreover, some experts have pointed out that the dog population has exploded in places like Karachi because of the megacity’s massive solid waste problem. Simply put, heaps of garbage across the city give the beasts ample places to feed and, as they say in Urdu, jaan banain. Along with helping control other diseases, proper disposal of solid waste in Karachi may also significantly improve the situation where the growing stray dog population is concerned.

Of course some animal lovers, putting all logic aside, while protest vehemently at the culling of stray dogs, terming it ‘inhumane’. They should know that even in the West, which claims itself to be a champion of human and animal rights, culling of animals is resorted to if things get out of hand with our furry friends. Kangaroo culls in Australia and wild boar culls in parts of Europe have recently been in the news.

By all means stray animals, including dogs, should be cared for and animal lovers should help set up shelters to protect them at their own cost. But seriously speaking, how many shelters can be built to house such a massive stray canine population? Therefore, there needs to be a multipronged solution, as stated above.

Providing shelter to strays, accompanied by scientific culls, vaccination and neutering strategies, along with proper solid waste disposal, seems to be the best option to control the stray dog population in Sindh and save more people from rabies and death due to dog bites.

It is hoped that the Sindh government can come up with a comprehensive plan and no more people — particularly youngsters — will have to suffer from dog bites or give up their lives because the state is unable to control the canine population.

The writer is City Editor, Bol News