LAHORE: A large number of stray dogs roaming the roads and streets of the provincial metropolis have become a constant threat to the public at large, as many cases have been reported in which these animals attacked and injured bikers and pedestrians, including women and children.

The situation is worsening day by day, as residents of the localities where attacks have been reported complain of lack of response from the authorities concerned.

While the official sources say that putting down of the stray dogs has been banned in the light of the Lahore High Court order on a writ petition filed by a non-government organisation (NGO) a couple of years ago, the fear of stray dogs attacks has forced residents in some areas to stay indoors, especially early morning, in evening and during night hours.

“In our street alone, the stray dogs injured five people on three consecutive days. We also complained [to administration], but no one came to protect us. Eventually, after hectic efforts, we managed to capture a couple of stray dogs on our own, put them in sacks and left them in a rural locality near Chuhng,” Imran, a resident of Johar Town told Dawn.

“We have even stopped going for a walk, fearing attack by any dog. One of the five injured is a 70-year-old man who was attacked by a dog while he was going for prayers,” he added.

While narrating his ordeal, Mansoor, a resident of OPF Housing Society, says packs of stray dogs roaming in his locality have become a constant threat, especially for women, children and bikers.

“They [the dogs] used to attack pedestrians and bikers and even chase residents and others traveling in cars. Even the students, who are dropped at the nearby bus/van stops, cannot return home alone, fearing dog attacks. This eventually forced the parents to pick their children in cars,” he explains.

He says the residents had earlier lodged complaints with the Metropolitan Corporation of Lahore (MCL), but to no avail.

“I too requested the recently transferred deputy commissioner Muhammad Ali, but he said it was the domain of the commissioner, who also heads the MCL as administrator,” he adds. He urged the MCL to save people from this nuisance.

Talking to Dawn, Akbar, a resident of Mustafa Town (Wahdat Road) says, “A couple of days ago, one of our neighbours was going on foot to a vegetable shop when he was attacked by a stray dog. Luckily, he escaped unhurt and returned home. There are reports of similar attacks by stray dogs in our area,” he maintained, urging the authorities concerned to challenge the court decision, restricting putting down of the stray animals.

“The stray or wild animals, especially when they become a threat to human lives, are usually destroyed or managed (through vaccination or incarceration). But, in Pakistan, especially Lahore, they [dogs] can be seen roaming in large numbers and biting the people and putting their lives at risk. But, despite all this, the government’s response is pathetic,” he deplored.

MCL Chief Officer Ali Abbas Bukhari admits that the situation is alarming, stating that the MCL is trying hard to protect people from stray dogs.

“The problems related to stray dogs being faced by the public at large are genuine. But we cannot put down these animals through poisoning or shooting them in the light of the court orders to the corporation and other agencies concerned to incarcerate them,” he explains.

However, Mr Bukhari dispels the impression about a lack of response on the part of the MCL in this regard.

“We are managing such animals well by constituting joint teams of the MCL and livestock department that, on a daily basis, capture them. After capturing, we hand them over to livestock field staff, who incarcerate them,” he says. He claims that the MCL staff handed 23 stray dogs over to the livestock officials on Saturday.

When asked about the place where the captured dogs are kept, he said the livestock officials know better about such facility.

Spokesperson for the livestock department was not available for comments.

Published in Dawn, February 15th, 2023