The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has taken up the task of population control of stray dogs in Islamabad in the wake of increasing incidents of dog biting particularly in rural areas.

The CDA Chairman Captain (r) Muhammad Usman Younas recently inaugurated the ‘Stray Dogs Population Control Centre’ located on Park Road in the Tarlai area of Islamabad. The event was largely attended by representatives of civil society, NGOs, and officials of CDA. Speaking on the occasion, the CDA Chairman said that Islamabad is the first metropolitan in the country where such a centre for stray dogs has been established.

He said that dog centre would have the capacity to accommodate 500 stray dogs where they would have facilities of play area, rest, surgical unit, vaccination centre and laboratory. He pointed out that developed countries along with protecting human rights also take care of the rights of animals. The CDA Chairman said it was due to cooperation between the authority and civil society that the dog centre has been established in a such short period. He also advised officials concerned that the dog centre should be a role model for the rest of the country. He also asked deputed dog-catchers that they should not target pet animals while catching stray dogs on receiving complaints from residents of particular areas.

In Dec 2022, the medical team at the Center successfully treated a stray dog who was shifted there some time back and later developed a severe illness called enteritis, opthalmonyiasis and bloody lacrimation. The case of this stray dog was quite complicated but proper medical treatment helped him recover from the illness. He is still under regular care and medication. The Center has been set up with the aim to use humane methods to manage free-roaming dogs in Islamabad often seen by the residents as a threat due to their aggressive behavior. Special arrangements have been made for the training of injured animals at this center. The stray dogs are vaccinated instead of being shot and poisoned, which reduces their breeding ability and makes them more humane.

The facility features a natural environment where the dogs can freely move about. There are also dedicated kennels and rest areas for the dogs. A medical and surgical unit has also been set up to treat dogs. Various quarantine rooms are also available for the dogs to recover.

Meanwhile, the animal rights activists are urging the local administration to let them visit this Center because they want to get to know the health of pups and their mothers that have been shifted there from different areas of Islamabad. Similarly, the local people are also not allowed to visit this Center.

The local administration has the plan to formulate guidelines after which it will open it up to the general public. Chief Commissioner Islamabad Muhammad Usman Younis has said “The staff members at Stray Dogs Population Control Centre keep making us proud. They are creating new dimensions of service delivery in Pakistan.”