ISLAMABAD: Dr Inam Abdul Ghani, a volunteer from Islamabad, has come forward to provide shelter and medical care to stray dogs after a ban is imposed on their culling by the city managers.
He opened the first-ever sanctuary for stray dogs in Chauntra village, located on the outskirts of Islamabad, to provide care and a home.
Giving details about the initiative, Dr Ghani told the media that earlier such facilities only existed in Karachi and Lahore, but now Islamabad also had a set-up, which was one of its kind.
Explaining his human-canine bonding, the volunteer said he was providing care to stray dogs for the last 15 years as he had a great association with them since his childhood.
Initially, he used to bring ill dogs to his home for providing medical treatment and shelter, but later on, “I felt that there is need to set up a dedicated facility for such animal and then I decided to open a shelter for them.”
Dr Ghani added he established the first shelter in Rawat some four years ago to rehabilitate the stray animals.
To a query, he said, so far, 50 adult dogs and 20 puppies were given shelter at the facility. Most of the puppies were those whose mothers were culled by the authorities.
He added the puppies were given to people as “guard dogs” after grooming.
Dr Ghani also hailed the district administration’s decision for banning the dog shooting in the capital and implementing the court’s order which underscored humane ways for controlling the stray dogs’ population.
He hoped the local administration would engage non-government organisations to launch the “Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate and Release” campaign for reducing stray dogs’ population in the capital.
Under the TNVR process, he explained surgery of a healthy dog was conducted to deprive him of reproduction capability.
