Mobile Operation Theater Starts Operation To Neutralize Stray Dogs In Peshawar

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Dec, 2020 ) :The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Livestock department has launched Mobile Operation Theater to neutralize stray dogs in provincial metropolis, Peshawar.

"The mobile operation theater starts operation after inauguration of the project by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Secretary Dr. Kazim Niaz a couple of days earlier," informed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Livestock Department Director Dr. Syed Masoom Ali Shah.

Talking to APP, Dr. Masoom said four staffers of Livestock department including a Veterinary Doctor, a catcher, driver and a helper will perform duty in the mobile operation theater which will neutralize stray dogs on the spot on complaint basis.

The project is part of an initiative launched by the Livestock Department in January 2020, announcing a financial incentive for lockdown affected public of Peshawar of 'getting cash over catching stray dogs'.

"The reward was announced to involve and engage those who lost their livelihood due to coronavirus lockdown in an activity aimed at ensuring better public health and safety," Dr. Syed Masoom Ali Shah elaborated.

During the initiative, a total of 642 dogs were operated and neutralized which were catch and brought to department by people.

The operated dogs are tied with a collar in their neck for identification so that the same dog could not be operated again in future.

The objective behind launching of both the projects is to control population of stray dogs and to protect public from deadly rabies disease, he added.

The Livestock Director said people can approach department for lodging complaints about presence of stray dogs in their area and mobile team will visit to operate and neutralize the dogs.

According to�a�survey of Water and Sanitation Services Peshawar (WSSP) there are around 7500 to 10,000 stray dogs�only�in Peshawar district.

While according to statistical data, number of rabies cases in Pakistan are reported around 90,000 on annual basis with 60 percent of infection occurring among teenage boys as young as 15 years of age.

Dr. Masoom informed that the Livestock Department has established a state of the art operation theater in Peshawar and has the capacity of operating several dogs on daily basis.

He said three more operation theaters were to be established under the project in separate locations of the city at Chagharmati, Regi Lalma and Badabair areas.

The department would soon start round the clock operation at the office to facilitate people in bringing dogs at any time, he continued.

"The project is unique and would not only serve in maintaining public health through containing rabies but would also stop the cruel practice of culling of stray dogs through shooting and poisoning," Vet Doctor in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Livestock department Dr.�Fasiha opined.

She said so far stray dog population was controlled only through culling of dog by shooting them or poisoning the animal which was very cruel practice.

So by sterilizing stray dogs, we also wanted to stop inhuman practice of killing animal ruthlessly.�This was a pilot project and presently confined only to Peshawar district which could be extended to other districts of the province later after observation of results, she said.