The Islamabad High Court has imposed a permanent ban on campaigns involving poisoning, shooting, or unlawful culling of stray dogs in the federal capital, directing authorities to adopt a scientific and humane approach for population control.
In a detailed 24-page judgment issued by Justice Khurram Hashim Somro, the court ordered relevant institutions, including the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board and the Capital Development Authority (CDA), to strictly implement a “trap, neuter, vaccinate and release” policy.
The court further directed that no lactating, collar-tagged, healthy, or vaccinated dogs should be captured unnecessarily. It ruled that only a qualified veterinary doctor can certify whether a dog is rabid or incurably ill before any euthanasia is considered. The judgment also ordered the creation of a database of dog bite incidents and vaccination records, along with a registry to document animal cruelty cases.