Speakers at SDPI webinar say enhanced awareness on behavior change is crucial to protect animals’ rights

ISLAMABAD, Jan 21 (SABAH): The district administration is fully committed to protect animal rights. We have the required legal framework, laws and even high court judgment on animals’ rights and the administration is taking every measure to ensure compliance on these directions. Shehryar Arif Khan, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Islamabad, said this while sharing his view at the webinar ‘Islamabad Safe for Strays,’ held by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI).

Shehryar Arif Khan added further that the district government along with all the related departments has been working on the guidelines provided by the experts to make Islamabad safe for the animals. He highlighted that we have nine vaccine centers in the district, however, they need to be upgraded and aligned with the related department to work collectively.

Director Governance and Policy WWF, Dr. Imran Khalid said that WWF mainly deals with conservation issues, however, it can also provide expert suggestion to the government on the protection of animal rights. He was of the view that we need to update our laws regarding the animals right. Besides, the value of the life needs to be inculcated in the minds of all individual, and hence, we need to work collectively to raise this critical awareness.

Founder Strays Home and Rehab Shelter, Dr. Ghani Ikram, informed the participants that with the help of district administration and some donors from the private sector, we are making effort to make Islamabad a model city for the animals and other co-habitants. He pointed out that the livestock department- which has all the necessity facilities, can play a vital role in this regard.

Faraz Saeed, Manager Rabies Free Pakistan, was of view that first we need to spread the message all across Pakistan that animals also deserve sympathy and that a change in the mind set towards the animals is needed. Ms Wajeha Javed was of view that we need to work on the rabies first instead just taking the whole picture of animals’ rights which becomes very complicated.

Animal Right Activist, Ms Faryal Nawaz, emphasized that the government and civil society should work together to create general empathy towards animals. Ms Mahrukh Qizalbash, Policy Research Consultant, Freshminds, UK, was of view that animals should be declared as essential beings and provide all the legislative and infrastructures support for their safety and safe wellbeing. They need to be vaccinated instead culling and tagged for identification, she added.

Ms Ayesha Ilyas, Coordinator Advocacy, SDPI, earlier, highlighted that unfortunately aggression towards stary animals, especially towards dogs have been on increasing, hence, we must have clear guidelines for the treatment towards strays to discourage such negative behaviors.