Get Cash Over Catching Stray Dogs, Livestock Deptt Offers Reward For Virus-idled Public

The Livestock department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has announced a financial reward for virus-idled public of Peshawar of `getting cash over catching stray dogs'.

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th May, 2020 ) :The Livestock department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has announced a financial reward for virus-idled public of Peshawar of `getting cash over catching stray dogs'.

The department has made a public announcement through an advertisement released in press on Saturday (May 30) `Get cash of Rs. 200 over catching of a stray dog'.

"The objective of the reward is to involve those who lost livelihood due to coronavirus lockdown in an activity aimed at ensuring better public health and safety," said Dr. Syed Masoom Ali Shah, Director Livestock Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The initiative of announcing financial reward is for Livestock Department's ongoing project of sterilization of stray dogs to control its growing numbers and to protect public from deadly rabies disease, Dr. Masoom told APP.

The project to control stray dog population was launched in Peshawar in January 2020 jointly by District Administration (DC), Water and Sanitation Services Peshawar (WSSP), Peshawar Development Authority and Health Department.

Under the project, Masoom added, it was decided to involve public by offering them financial incentive of Rs. 200 per dog.

The incentive of cash payment will sever as catalyst in sterilization of strays dogs whose population is on increase with increasing number of public complaints in this regards.

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 statistics, 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.

As many dogs are brought by any person to the Livestock office, will be given cash reward of Rs. 200 per animal on the spot, Masoon claimed.

The brought dog will be sterilized by conducting operation at the Livestock department and released again in open.

Before releasing the dog in open, a collar installed with reflectors is fixed around its neck and a tatoo is printed in ear as mark of identity that the dog is already operated, he elaborates.

"The project is first ever in Pakistan and will 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," Dr. Masoom remarked.

This is a pilot project and presently is confined only to Peshawar district which can be extended to other districts of the province later after observation of results, he expressed the hope.

Dr. Masoom informed that Livestock Department has established a state of the art operation theater in Peshawar and has the capacity of operating several dogs on daily basis.Three more operation theaters are to be established under the project in separate locations of the city at Chagharmati, Regi Lalma and Badabair areas.

Dr. Masoom also advised people to be careful in catching a dog which can bite them. He said a stray dog can easily coaxed by offering some meal, patting on head and then tie it with the rope.