Animal rights activists have urged authorities to adopt sterilisation programmes as a humane and scientific solution to control the rising stray dog population, amid an alarming increase in dog-bite incidents in Karachi.
The demand was raised during a joint press conference organised by several animal welfare organisations under the banner of the “Rabies Bhagao, Sab Ko Bachao” movement.
The speakers included Karachi Animal Humane Union founder Shermeen Farooqi, Casper’s Ark Foundation founder Ayesha Bint Rashid, Jankar Animal Ambulance founder Shahana Affendi, and Clifton Defence Community President Abdul Rehman.
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The speakers strongly rejected the practice of killing or poisoning stray dogs, calling it unethical, ineffective, and counterproductive. They said that culling had failed repeatedly and instead worsened the problem by creating a vacuum effect, leading to an increase in the stray dog population.
Shermeen Farooqi said government institutions continued to rely on outdated methods despite scientific evidence proving their failure.
She clarified that animal welfare groups were not demanding unchecked growth of stray dogs, but advocating spay and neuter programmes to control population numbers responsibly.
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She warned that the rising stray dog population posed serious rabies risks to citizens, while also exposing animals to extreme cruelty. According to her, sterilisation helps stabilise populations and reduces aggression, making communities safer.
Ayesha Bint Rashid recalled the Rabies Control Programme launched by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) in 2008, which explicitly ruled out killing dogs and focused on sterilisation and vaccination. She said sterilised dogs were calmer and less aggressive.
However, she added that the programme collapsed after authorities resumed culling, particularly after identification collars placed on sterilised dogs were removed by members of the public. This made it impossible to distinguish treated animals from untreated ones.
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The speakers expressed serious concern over the lack of response from authorities. They said multiple letters had been sent to the chief minister, chief secretary, provincial ministers, and the city mayor, but no concrete action had followed.
Abdul Rehman said the organisations were not seeking government funding and were willing to offer technical expertise and cooperation. He also demanded legal action against individuals involved in killing dogs and called for a comprehensive, citywide policy to deal with dog-bite incidents.
The activists urged authorities to adopt internationally recognised methods to control rabies and protect both humans and animals.
