What declared by Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho is simply shocking and unacceptable.
The Minister openly affirmed that the overpopulation of stray dogs cannot be controlled through a mass vaccination and sterilization campaign, but the only practical solution to keep the number of stray dogs under control, prevent rabies cases and avoid dog bites IS TO CULL the animals.
An alarming affirmation pronounced during the provincial assembly in reply to a point of order raised by Khurram Sher Zaman of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf regarding the rise of dog-bite cases across the province and following the recent death of a child due to a dog bite.
The Health Minister said that it could take 10 years to control the population of stray dogs through vaccination and neutering in the province and she is of the opinion that stray dogs would still bite even after the application of a proper TNVR programme. She finally said that deputy commissioners should be asked to arrange culling of stray dogs in their respective districts.
We have asked with an open letter to the Minister to review the decision.
Killing strays is not only cruel and brutal for animals, but it is not a permanent solution to the problem.
Furthermore, local government had already released huge sums for vaccinating and neutering dogs under its rabies control programme, so this money should be used for the reason they have been properly allocated.
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