Category Archives: Animal Welfare

Say no to Dolphin Shows in Karachi

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Today’s DAWN has a report by Faiza Ilyas on WWF’s recommendation to the government to not bring dolphin shows to Pakistan.

In a position paper launched on Wednesday, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) states, “We strongly recommend to the government and concerned agencies to re-consider the initiative and look into the matter in more detail. There are sufficient opportunities for public to see wild dolphins off the shore of Pakistan, especially Karachi. They can be observed without too much effort or expense and the experience is much more rewarding.”

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Shut down Karachi Zoo

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According to the Born Free Foundation, “Wild animals do not belong in zoos. They belong in the wild.” The barren concrete enclosures of the Karachi zoo are a prime example of the suffering captive animals endure in captivity. Faiza Ilyas’ report in today’s DAWN newspaper quotes zoologist Abida Raees, an official of the zoo, justifying the small cemented cage of the zoo’s lone leopard:

The cage chosen for the leopard was big enough. While the leopard was in its old enclosure, it was always found in its concrete-floored retiring room. So, it didn’t matter if its cage had no other facilities in the old cage.

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Our disregard for wildlife

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Editorial in Express Tribune:

When we, as citizens, seek protection for something, we turn to our governments and our systems of law. However, if you live in Pakistan, it seems that you are quite out of luck. Often government employees are the ones found breaking rules and corrupting the system. A recent example is the hunting of deer, partridges and quails illegally partaken in by five men in Bahawalpur, three of whom were reportedly government servants.

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Absence of laws gives KMC free hand in zoos affairs

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Faiza Ilyas in DAWN:

These facilities currently being run by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation include the Karachi Zoological Gardens, one of the oldest zoos in the country. The absence of legislation deprives the facilities of standards on animal-keeping, a serious flaw that gave unquestionable authority to the administration and even to visitors over the rights of animals, compromising their well-being, they said. Another major obstacle in upgrading the facilities for captive animals, they pointed out, was the absence of administrative and financial autonomy and an acute shortage of trained staff at the facilities.

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Dogs shot in DHA

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We just received this news from someone on our facebook page:

i jus saw a guard who shot 2 dogs an hour a ago at bhukhari comm. ph 6 =[ .. such a horrible act .. jus want to know its allowed or is it legal to shot down street dogs like that =S .. ? i duno if they harmed anyone or not .. the only thing noticed that they barked alot this morning .. :s

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Do we really need zoos?

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Photo Credit: Express Tribune

Back in 2009, DAWN had a wonderful editorial about the poor state of zoos in Pakistan. According to them:

WILD animals, if they are bred in captivity or made captive through some cruel stroke of fate, ought to be given sanctuary. They need to live in an environment that at least resembles their natural habitat. They can be a source of awe and wonderment for the onlooker but must never be treated as a means of amusement. Continue reading →