Animal Cruelty: A Non-Issue in Pakistan

Dogs are known most commonly as a man’s best friend. Dogs have been proven to decrease stress, increase our exercise levels, and are playmates for children. But at the end of the day a dog is an animal and may bite. In addition to causing pain and injury, dog bites can become infected, putting the bite victim at risk for illness or in rare cases death.

Dog culling in almost all the cities of Pakistan is widespread due to the recent increment in instances of dog bites. Government of Pakistan kills more than 50,000 dogs each year.

There are no animal protection laws, no criminal offense charges against animal abusers and an open policy of killing stray dogs on a yearly basis. There are no animal rescue schemes or shelters provided by the government. The idea of animal shelters or animal rescue organizations in Pakistan is a long way from other countries. Even the general public appreciates the killing of thousands of dogs each year.

The cruelty is unbearable…. Why do we have to witness such behavior? It’s against humanity and it shows that we need a law to protect the poor animals, -stated a passerby when asked about the matter.

Canines aren’t the only animals that are mistreated. It is common to spot dead donkeys and harsh treatment of other animals.

 Islam forbids us from treating animals cruelly or killing them except for food. The Holy Prophet Muhammad(Peace Be Upon Him) often chastised his companions, or followers, who mistreated animals and spoke to them about mercy and kindness.

In Pakistan, Islamic guidelines regarding animals aren’t followed. A few people erroneously believe that humans need to take priority, so basic animal rights are not an earnest issue. Others find excuses to be cruel to animals.

The most ideal approach to battle such ignorance is through instruction and a genuine model. People and governments have significant tasks to carry out in instructing the general population about the consideration of animals and building up foundations to help animal welfare.

On October 22nd 2019, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill that could make animal abuse a federal crime with serious penalties. Hopefully similar laws will be implemented in Pakistan.