LAHORE:
The Superior Court of Lahore (LHC) has directed the authorities through Punjab to Eutanize only incurably sick or death injuries, and that does it strictly in accordance with the medically approved and human protocols.
Judge Shahid Karim issued the order while listening to the requests presented by Eiraj Hassan and others, looking for an adequate application of the birth control policy (dogs) 2021 and the protection of street dogs against the practices of inhuman sacrifice.
The court emphasized that the policy must be implemented “in letter and spirit” by all interested departments, including the Department of Government and Community Development (LG & CD) and its affiliated officers throughout Punjab.
The 2021 policy explicitly describes that only dogs diagnosed as incurably sick or death injured by a qualified veterinarian designated by a Tehsil implementation committee (ICT) can be sacrificed. In addition, it requires that euthanasia should be carried out humanly, managing sodium pentotal for adult or intraperitoneal dogs tiopental for puppies.
Crucially, politics prohibits sacrificing a dog in the presence of another dog.
Politics also prescribes guidelines for the care and management of healthy street dogs.
Sterilized dogs must be vaccinated before being released, and marked for identification through the ears, tattoos, nylon or tokens necklaces.
The dog brand is expressly prohibited. Detailed records of all sterilized and vaccinated dogs must be maintained.
The lawyer of the petitioners, Altamush Saeed, urged the Court to recognize that dogs are sensitive beings capable of emotions and, therefore, should not be subjected to cruelty or brutal murders.
He argued that the most effective approach to control the population of street dogs and eradicating rabies is found in mass vaccination and sterilization through established TNVR protocols (trap, neutral, vaccination, return), supervised by qualified veterinarians.
Saeed also stressed that even rabid dogs should not be sacrificed indiscriminately and emphasized the need to sterilize and relocate healthy dogs instead of killing them.
He also requested public awareness campaigns, staff training in animal welfare and the introduction of animal welfare education in in -line schools with articles 9, 9th and 25th of the Constitution, which are related to the right to life, security and education.
The court was informed that several government departments had already issued directives to implement policy and compliance had begun in multiple local government offices. Judge Karim recognized the progress made, noting that the LG & CD seemed fully aware of his legal obligations and was taking measures accordingly.
“Since the respondents comply with the policy, as is also evident in the responses presented in this case, the request is eliminated with the direction that the animal birth control policy (dogs) 2021 will continue to be implemented and followed by all the interested departments,” Judge Karim said in his conclusive comments.
The order of the court marks a significant change in the State approach for the management of street dogs: focus on human treatment, scientific methods and legal responsibility instead of reactive sacrifice, often carried out under public or panic pressure.
Animal rights defenders have welcomed the trial, qualifying it from a progressive step towards the ethical and effective control of the animal population and public health safety.
