Wild boars and stray dogs become menace in Pakistan’s captial city Islamabad

Islamabad:The number of stay dogs and wild boars has gradually increased in the federal capital Islamabad mainly due to overstuffed trash trolleys and piles of garbage that serve as a source of abundant feast for these creatures.

The residents, while expressing concern, blamed the Metropolitan Corporation of Islamabad (MCI) for untimely cleansing of uncovered and overflowing dumpsters that eventually led to higher number of stray dogs and pigs in the city.

“Years ago, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) had placed dumpsters of different sizes to collect household waste but unfortunately now the trolleys are virtually feeding pigs and stray dogs,” said Rub Nawaz, a resident of sector G-6/2.

He said the wild animals were roaming freely in streets, especially during night and creating a nuisance for children, women and senior citizens in these localities.

Threat to residents

Rub Nawaz said the departments concerned were not paying due attention to the issue that posed threat to residents.

He urged the MCI to remove the stray dogs from locality or come up with an innovative solution to resolve the issue.

“My son was sitting at the bench in park, located in sector G-7, and an untamed dog bit him which caused bleeding,” Fahmida Haider told APP while pointing out the rising number of dogs taking shelter at public places.

Fahmida said she rushed to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for his son treatment. His son was administered first dose of anti-rabies vaccine. “To my astonishment, the doctor asked me to get the remaining doses of anti-rabies vaccine from a private hospital,” she regretted.

Another resident of Sector F-6, Abdul Rehman said a wild boar entered in his home last week and created a dramatic situation, prompting him to open fire for protecting his family from that dangerous animal.

Wild boars and dogs feed on garbage heaps

He said the wild boars and stray dogs roamed across the locality due to stuffed garbage dumpsters, urging the departments concerned to cleanse the trolleys timely and covering it properly.

“The pigs are a constant threat for motorists as they move at night and a number of accidents in recent past have been reported on Islamabad Expressway and Sectors E and F, linking Margalla road,” Khalid Ali a resident of sector E-11 said.

“I had a narrow escape from an accident yesterday at Muree Road, near Bhara Kahu where a drove of pigs came right in front of my car while crossing the road and I could not see them due to dysfunctional lights,” a commuter Sultan Khan said.

An official from Islamabad Wildlife Management Board Sikhawat said the pigs usually set up their colonies along the nullahs and remained there in day-light.

“The male wild boars protect their territory and female with their piglets throng the urban areas to search food and odor of wasted food attracts them. The dogs and pigs sense of smelling works from miles,” he remarked.

Sikhawat said the only solution to stop the wild boars’ movement to urban areas was to cut the supply of food. He also urged the citizens not to dump waste outside the allocated waste bins.

Ban on hunting wild boars

According to the Wildlife Ordinance 1979, he said, the killing of wild boars was banned within the territory of National Margalla Hills Park.

An official source in Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), said around 50 cases of the dog mauling were being reported in the hospital daily. The PIMS kept required stock of anti-rabies vaccine, he said.

He urged the MCI to place the dumpsters out of localities and vaccinate the stray dogs.

An official source from MCI Sanitation Directorate said the teams were taking action against stray dogs and killing 10-15 dogs daily on public complaints.

About overflowing dumpsters, he said the Corporation was facing shortage of funds and even could not set up a permanent landfill site for the city.