In a massive new judgment, the Lahore High Court has officially ended the inhumane and illegal practice of dog culling across Punjab, marking a monumental victory for animal rights in Pakistan.
This ruling came in W.P. No. 17741/2025 (Eiraj Hassan & others v. Government of Punjab & others), directing that the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Policy 2021 must now be implemented in letter and spirit by all concerned departments throughout the province as previously laid in Anila Umair v Govt of Punjab and Hamza Khan v government of Punjab.
The case was argued by Altamush Saeed, a globally recognized animal justice lawyer, and his legal team comprising Ahmad Shoaib Atta and Mian Ahmed Farooq, under the banner of Environmental and Animal Rights Consultants Pakistan, Pakistan’s first dedicated animal and environmental law firm.
What began as an uphill battle eight years ago has now finally culminated in a legal and moral victory: dog culling is officially illegal in Punjab. The Court’s interim stay order on 25 March 2025 had already put a stop to the brutal killings, followed by provincial government letters on 26 March and 22 April 2025, holding local governments accountable for humane dog population management.
This is more than just a win in court. It is a major win for stray animals in the region. Mass sterilization and vaccination should now be able to replace cruelty, paving the way to eradicate rabies, prevent dog bites, and end violence against street animals.
Eiraj Hassan’s unwavering support and courage helped push this case over the finish line. Her name will forever be associated with this historic shift in Pakistan’s legal and ethical landscape.
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یہ لوگ انسانیت کے نام پر کسی مظلوم کا کیس تو مفت لڑتے نہیں پر کتے پیو لگتے ہیں نے جن کی ھمدردی میں لگ کر یقینا باہر سے این جی اوز سے فنڈ کھاتے ہوںنگے
Dogs helping Dogs
ملک میں آوارہ کتوں کی بہتات ہے اور یہ ان کے رشتہ دار انھیں بچانے کے لئے مرے جا رھے ھیں ۔۔۔اسلام آباد جیسے شہر میں ھزاروں آوارہ کتے دندنا رھے ھیں۔ان کتوں کے رشتہ دار عدالتوں میں موجود ہیں ۔۔۔۔
With all due respect, what an idiotic decision by the honourable high court.
Culling was stopped in Islamabad, a dog centre was opened up near COMSATS university to justify it.
The result was that now dogs are out of control in many areas especially COMSATS area, some unofficial sectors & different housing societies, and allegedly in some new sectors and being rabid in some areas of greater Islamabad including COMSATS at one point. Some small scale controls had to take place. Wherever there is an open area for more than a few densely packed houses the stay dogs start getting feral.
There shouldn’t be a blanket ban on culling and it can be argued for animal rights purposes that there shouldn’t be a blanket culling either and instead culling should be targeted, done proactive where needed, all over Pakistan especially Karachi which also has a dog problem in multiple areas.
I’m so glad over this!!
And to all the people “barking” about this decision, you are inhumane. If your empathy is not for every living being then stop claiming to be a pious religious person. Pakistan is an islamic state and animal cruelty is one of the gravest sins. Animals are the most vulnerable beings in our society, if you can’t empathize with them then you can’t pretend to care about humans either. Murdering animals isn’t a way to control their population. You vaccinate and neuter them.
These people crying over animal population are the same ones popping out 16 kids per 4 marriages. Would they want the human population control to be the same? instead of using contraceptives, just shoot every person you see?
I’m so over joyed over this. Hopefully this gets properly implemented.
There was reportedly a centre near Tramri, Islamabad to keep stray dogs. According to one of the news article, dogs were caged inside while the employees of the facility who had contract jobs had their contracts expired and were not renewed. Hence these dogs were left in cages unattended with no food or water!
Stray dogs in street are not only a danger for community but can also become rabid. There should be an effective way of getting rid of stray animals so that human lives are safe. Cases of dog bite are very common. When asked from communities why it is so, they say dog killing is banned and there is no alternative but to let them stay on streets posing serious risk! Sure, there should be Animal rights but HUMAN SAFETY IS ABOVE ALL, ANIMAL RIGHTS COME AFTER THAT!
پاکستان بھر میں ہزاروں آوارہ کتے لوگوں کو خاص طور پر بچوں کا کاٹتے ہیں۔ اس کی روک تھام اور مداوا کس کی زمہ داری ہے۔ یہ وکیل صاحب تو باہر سے فنڈ لے کر فارغ ہو جائیں گے۔ کاش وہ یہ فنڈ جیب میں ڈالنے کے بجاۓ بچوں کی جان بچانے کے لیے دواؤں پر خرچ کرتے