Concerned citizens of Islamabad convened at the Islamabad Press Club on Saturday afternoon, calling for an end to the alleged inhumane treatment of stray dogs at the Capital Development Authority’s Stray Dog Population Control Centre. The peaceful protest, attended by activists, veterinarians, lawyers, students, and journalists, marks a significant turning point in the city’s relationship with its voiceless street population.
‘This is about building a kinder, safer city: for all living beings. Our collective conscience calls us to act,’ said a spokesperson for the campaign. Organized by a coalition of civil society members, the event began with a press conference at 1:00 PM, followed by a peaceful protest at 2:00 PM. One of the posters at the protest read: Stop CDA’s Cruelty to Dogs. Altamush Saeed, speaking exclusively to The Nation, stated, ‘We aim to eliminate the issues of dog bites and rabies in Islamabad. To address this, a comprehensive policy was introduced in 2020-applicable to Islamabad and currently in effect-based on the internationally recognized Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate, and Release method.
To implement this policy, a shelter was established in Tarlai, Islamabad, under the Capital Development Authority. However, since operations began in September 2022, the shelter has suffered from serious mismanagement as the management is not trained for animal care. The facility lacks qualified animal care professionals, and dogs captured from across the city are kept together in overcrowded conditions with inadequate food and veterinary care. This has led to outbreaks of disease, high mortality rates, and the shelter itself becoming a potential hub for zoonotic diseases, which could spread to humans in the area like COVID-19.’
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