ISLAMABAD, JAN 20 (DNA) – Measures to protect animals and to end cruelty against animals are the need of the hour to make our planet a peaceful and inclusive habitat for all. The animals’ rights activists said this while sharing their views with the participants of webinar ‘Plight of street animals in Pakistan; state of animal rights and a need for legislation’, organized by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), here on Wednesday.
Representing Rabies Free Pakistan (RFP), Dr Wajiha Javed, emphasized on a multisectoral approach to sensitize the society about the animals’ rights. Instead of condoning dogs, she explained, we need to vaccinate the dogs for the rabies. Besides, dogs’ population could be controlled in a more humane way, instead killing them, or poisoning them.
“The provincial and district governments need to work with the animal protection organizations to treat the rabies infected dogs and scientifically control their population,” Dr Javed said. She also highlighted the need to create awareness among people through textbooks by including lessons which shows compassion towards animals.
Ms Zeba Masood, Founder Lucky Animal Protection Shelter (LAPS), Peshawar, our young generation should be sensitized about the cruelty against the animals. She lamented that the absence of any act in the province is an unfortunate apathy towards the animal rights.
Animal Rights Activist, Ms Faryal Haq Nawaz, was of view that the lack of support from our legal, political, and social system has been the main hurdle in treating animal with kindness. She added further that ‘We need to take smart leverage on all the existing law and rules regarding animals and put personal effort to create a better planet for the animals.”
Founder ACF Animal Rescue, Ms Ayesha Chundrigar, was of the view that we need to work on the broader picture by changing overall behavior towards animals, along with legislations.
“we need to humanize the animals and make an inclusive planet for all creatures,” Ms Chundrigar said and added that inculcating a right sense towards animals in the young generation is the need of the hour today.
Ms Rabia Umaima Ahmed, Freelance Journalist, advocate of animal and digital rights, said that the journalists are not equipped enough to do in-depth research on animal rights. Mr Owais Awan, Advocate Islamabad High Court on the occasion opined that we need to make Public private bodies to act as watchdog to prevent cruelty against animals. Pakistan being a signatory to OIE, which make it abide to protect animals from all types of harm and violence, he added.
Ms Ayesha Ilyas, Research fellow at SDPI earlier opined that compassion and kindness towards animals in our behavior is the key to bring a change in the society and create a better environment for all the coinheritors of the planet.=DNA
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