Plan afoot to neutralise, vaccinate and tag stray dogs in Karachi

Plan afoot to neutralise, vaccinate and tag stray dogs in Karachi

KARACHI: As cases of dog bite rise alarmingly in the metropolis and other parts of the province, the Sindh government has decided to formulate a comprehensive plan in coordination with Town Municipal Corporations (TMCs) to initiate neutralisation, vaccination and tagging of stray dogs to control their population. Officials said on Friday that a decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Karachi Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi, who reviewed the sharp increase in dog-bite incidents across the city and the provision of treatment facilities. The meeting was attended by all deputy commissioners through video link. The meeting comes against the backdrop of a worsening stray-dog crisis that has become a major public health challenge for the metropolis. Commissioner reviews rising dog-bite cases in city, availability of treatment Talking to Dawn, the commissioner said that it was decided that the new strategy to control the stray dog population would be devised in line with international principles and World Health Organisation guidelines, moving away from conventional culling methods and focusing on Animal Birth Control (ABC). Deputy Commissioner South Javed Nabi Khosa briefed the meeting that coordination had been completed with three NGOs working on animal welfare and work on the neutralisation of stray dogs had already been started in district South. He informed the meeting that three major Dog Bite Centres established at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Lyari General Hospital and Civil Hospital Karachi were fully functional, with all required facilities, trained staff and anti-rabies vaccines available round-the-clock. He told Dawn that in addition to the three major dog bite centres, 12 dispensaries and health facilities in district South also had anti-rabies vaccines available for immediate first-aid and treatment, so that citizens did not have to travel far in case of an emergency. Similarly, the sources said that in other districts, including East, West, Central, Korangi and Malir, anti-stray dog campaigns were being carried out in close coordination with town municipal administrations along with the neutralisation process, and dedicated animal birth control centres were being established. They added that the required funds for this operation would be provided by the TMCs on a priority basis. They said that the commissioner took serious notice of the large number of victims visiting these centres daily from Korangi, Baldia, Landhi, Gadap and other areas, and directed that all Dog Bite Centres must remain fully operational and uninterrupted supply of vaccines and medical facilities must be ensured. It was finally decided that all deputy commissioners, in coordination with municipal authorities, the health department and NGOs, would present detailed reports regarding preventive measures and efforts undertaken in their respective districts at the next weekly meeting for continuous monitoring. Published in Dawn, September 26th, 2026