LHC orders to halt dog culling campaign across Punjab

The Lahore High Court has ordered an immediate halt to stray dog killing campaigns across the province, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

A single member of the Lahore High Court Rawalpindi bench heard a petition against the killing of stray dogs.

The petitioner Anila Umair, an animal rights activist, made the Punjab government and the Chief Officer District Council as parties in her petition, calling the shooting and poisoning of dogs to death both illegal and unethical practices.

Authorities described an increasing number of citizens’ complaints against stray dogs as the reason behind dog culling campaigns.

The petitioner argued that the protection of animals is the responsibility of the Punjab government.

Justice Jawad Hasan issued the order to stop the killing of dogs across the province.

The court issued notices to the concerned parties, directing them to submit written replies by December 24.

According to a report, stray dogs have bitten more than 200,000 citizens in Sindh including 26,000 in Karachi in 2022.

The details were shared in the Sindh High Court (SHC) by Tariq Masood advocate during the hearing of different pleas against the influx of stray dogs in the province.

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The petitioner further said that the laws for the measures for the prevention of dog breeds were not enforced. On the court’s order, the government claimed the provision of anti-rabies vaccine at the 34 govt hospitals in the province, but the situation on the ground is different against the claim, he added.

The petitioner further said a couple travelling on a motorbike died while avoiding charging stray dogs in Karachi.