“Why waste time on animal rights when humans don’t get their rights here?” is the usual response to the idea of animal welfare or animal rights in Pakistan. Meanwhile, animal lovers and activists strive to change the mindset that makes both these issues mutually exclusive.

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Who was Richmond Crawford? Who was Lady Nanette Constantine? What is PAWS? Well, all of them have one thing in common. They were/are fond of animals and represent different generations which carried the flag for our ‘agreeable friends’ in Karachi. Let’s talk about them one by one.

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Thought I should share with you guys one of the best and most heartwarming experiences an animal lover could ever have!

The moment PAWS put up a notice on its website and facebook page calling out for volunteers at the PAWS stall in the Dawn LifeStyle Exhibition November 2010, I knew I had to be there! There were no second thoughts about it! So I, my sister and a couple of friends signed up for this wonderful opportunity and it was one of the best experiences we have ever had.

The idea behind the PAWS stall was two-fold. 1- to collect donations for the flood affected animals and animals in general by selling PAWS merchandise and 2- to educate people about what PAWS is and does.

We met genuine animal lovers from far and wide both in the form of volunteers as well as enthusiastic customers. Some of the highlights of the two days that we volunteered for were:

. getting into an argument with our neighbor stall as they were supporting a cause we were against- not only had they caged animals whose otherwise natural habitat is the wild or the big blue sky but they were also using the animals as levers to jack up their sales allowing people to use flash photography around the poor creatures and touching and poking them and shoving their little kids in the birds’ faces to the point that the birds started exhibiting neurotic behavior and started acting weird to which the stall owner said “yeh tou khush hora hai isliye dance ker raha hai!”

. meeting an aged lady on day 1 who came all the way from the U.K to meet PAWS and only PAWS at the Expo. she was our most generous customer and not only purchased a huge portion of our merchandise but left lots of prayers and well wishes with us as she felt that no other organization is doing as brilliant of a job for animals in Pakistan as PAWS is.

. meeting a small, cute, adorable, edible puppy who was the star attraction of our stall on Day 3 – playing with it, secretly feeding it sandwiches that were supposed to be only for volunteers and smothering it with kisses made our bleeding toes and painful blisters that were a result of walking all around the dog show collecting donations totally worthwhile.

. educating the masses about what PAWS is and does and why animal rights are important. some of the comments we got while trying to sell the PAWS merchandise showed that theres a desperate need for people like US to be more proactive in spreading the word about PAWS and animal rights in general. retorts like “yahan insanoun ki pareyshaniyan kum hain jo aap log jaanwaroun ki madad ker rahay hain”, “kya yeh PAWS pakistan ARMY welfare society hai?’ and ‘pachaas rupay for animal charity?!! haye Allah loot rahay ho subko!’ really got us worked up at times but I guess at the end of the day the best part was trying to deal with such people patiently and educating them about PAWS and if we have managed to change the thinking of or create awareness in even 0.5% of people out there at the Expo I think that’s something to be proud of!

. meeting volunteers exactly like myself who have been involved in rescuing activities, housing stray cats and dogs and fighting for animal rights at every step. We all shared a common bond and a pretty strong one at that and we thank PAWS for giving us a common platform to get to know each other

Those who missed this chance this time, missed out on quite a bit! sometimes things like work, money, school, friends often prevent us from doing things that are meant to make us better human beings. If you try hard enough, you’ll always find a thousand reasons to not do something. If anyone EVER gets the opportunity like this ever again, dont think twice just go for it u will never regret it!! My sister missed her classes at university and even a few deadlines to submit final term projects but doesn’t regret a moment of it. Other volunteers had similar stories as well. They may not get the best results on their school and work projects this month but they are definitely getting an A+ on their moral report card!

Thanks Mahera and Maheen for the way you treated us so kindly and for your ongoing efforts to make this country a better place for animals! =] ?

Dr. Zulfiqar Otho and Dr. Shalla Hayat of the Karachi Animal Hospital check a blind donkey rescued by PAWS.

All creatures on earth are sentient beings. There is not an animal on earth, nor a bird that flies on its wings – but they are communities like you. 

The Quran 6:38

Swiss animal rights lawyer, Antoine Goetschel, recently made international news when he defended a dead pike in a case of cruelty by a local fisherman who was overheard boasting about landing the fish after a ten minute long struggle. The basis of his argument was that fish are sentient beings and that the fisherman had caused the pike needless pain. Islam is a religion where the sentience of all animals has been declared in the Quran. However, the expected application of such a belief is sadly amiss in Pakistani society. In fact, many of the most vocal advocates for animal rights in the history of Pakistan have been non-Muslim.

Under British rule, the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act was passed in 1890 for the entire subcontinent. Earlier, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), modeled after the RSPCA in the UK, had been established in Karachi in 1878 by a group of animal lovers who convened a public meeting at the Frere Hall gardens. After Partition in 1947, India and Pakistan made their own amendments to the original 1890 act. The West Pakistan Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act was ratified in 1961 to include rules regarding the licensing of farriers, bits and harnesses for animals, draught hours for buffaloes, restrictions on loading animal drawn vehicles, and the age of service of working animals.

The act, however, needs to be reviewed and further amended to meet the requirements of the current times. The Government of India, for example, established an Animal Welfare Board in 1962 which was set up in accordance with their Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960. Some of the functions of this board are to advise the government on any amendments required to the laws, and to stop the killing of stray dogs and enforce the Animal Birth Control program throughout India. This has institutionalized the entire animal welfare movement by strengthening existing laws and ensuring they are implemented. The board requires, for example, the setting up of SPCAs in each district with an attached hospital on land given by the local administration.

In Karachi, up to the 1980′s, the SPCA had a functional animal shelter with a capacity of 150 animals. Lady Constantine, a Swiss resident of Karachi, was the society’s president at the time. She had limited funds and manpower, but was untiring in her efforts to work for the cause of animal welfare. Unfortunately, her death in the early 1990′s spelt a break in this century-old tradition of service to animals in the city. Soon after Lady Constantine’s death, the SPCA shelter land was taken away by the government and the special animal court at the Sindh High Court wound up. At present, Punjab is the only province in Pakistan where the SPCA is still active. The city of Lahore has an office and shelter for the society’s work on the premises of the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences.

In such an absence of institutionalized support, the efforts of some individuals and organizations that are working towards the betterment of animals, is nothing short of heroic.

The Brooke Hospital for Animals is an international equine welfare organization whose motto is ‘healthy working animals for the world’s poorest communities’. The Brooke was established in Pakistan in 1991, and has centers in 12 districts across Pakistan. They have managed to turn entire communities around in their attitudes towards their beasts of burden, empowering both man and beast in the process. In 2009, for example, Brooke helped 280,000 working horses, donkeys and mules. It is also estimated that the work of this single organization supports the livelihoods of approximately 1.5 million people in 250 poor communities in Pakistan.

For more than 10 years, the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) and its member society, the Bioresource Research Centre, Pakistan (BRC), led by dedicated campaigner Dr. Fakhar-i-Abbas, have worked tirelessly to put an end to the cruel practice of bear baiting. In 2007 alone, BRC persuaded over a 1000 mosques in high-prevalence areas to preach against bear baiting. Over time, bear baiting incidences have seen a sharp decline. BRC also has a bear sanctuary in Kund (near Peshawar) that houses rescued bears.

The world’s largest NGO and Pakistan’s biggest charity, the Edhi Foundation, also maintains an animal shelter in the outskirts of Karachi. This shelter is home to several cats, dogs, donkeys, crows and kites.

U.S.-based veterinarian, Dr. I. H. Kathio, regularly contributes his expertise to the training of future veterinarians in colleges across the country. He also supports several veterinary clinics by donating medical literature and equipment, and is available to vets for consultation on complicated cases.

Urging the public’s moral conscience to consider the poor state of animal welfare, there are voices in the media which keep animals in the news. Three names, in particular, deserve mention for highlighting the cause of animals in the print media – senior columnist Ardeshir Cowasjee and journalists Bhagwandas and Faiza Ilyas.

Tiger the puppy, just moments after he was rescued by PAWS from a mangrove swamp in Karachi.

Our own organization, the Pakistan Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), was founded in 2004 in response to the poisoning and shooting of stray dogs in Karachi. It has had a modest start and at present is run entirely by volunteers. While we do not have a shelter, office or paid staff and all funds raised go directly towards rescuing and treating animals and awareness-raising and advocacy work, we have managed to attract over two thousand supporters on facebook who wish to see better conditions for animals in Pakistan.

In the last decade there have also been a number of noteworthy events relevant to animal rights. In early 2000, the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) and a U.S. based organization, Engineers and Scientists for Animal Rights, in collaboration with the Pakistan Arts Council, held an exhibit of drawings by 6 to 8 year old children expressing their concern for animals. The drawings were compelling, especially considering that the children had never been exposed to any animal rights literature or website before.

Dr. Jerry Valask, a renowned U.S. Surgeon, also visited and spoke at the PMA House against the use of animals in medical research, and Pakistani media Geo TV and SouthAsia magazine were recognized at the Humane Society of the United States’ prestigious Genesis Awards in Beverley Hills.

In conclusion, while stray dogs are still poisoned with strychnine or shot, adequate veterinary facilities are scant, and illegal animal trade flourishes in Pakistan, all of the above are reasons to hope this will not remain the case. In addition to precedents in faith, there are historical precedents to persuade us to be kinder to animals. Pakistan’s founding father, Mohammad Ali Jinnah is a reference point in any discussion that touches upon the vision for the country. It is often overlooked that Mr. Jinnah was an animal lover. It is a legacy equally deserving of being honored.

Article by Maheen Zia and Mahera Omar, co-founders of PAWS. Printed in May’s issue of SouthAsia magazine.

Karachi: In a city rife with political violence and terrorism, animal welfare often takes a backseat. But six years ago, Mahera Omar and Maheen Zia decided to take things into their own hands, or rather, their own PAWS.

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Parked nearby was the Brooke Hospital for Animals’ van. They are an international organisation helping poor communities take better care of their working animals (donkeys, horses and mules). Two of their mobile clinics are now functioning in Karachi as well, and they have an office inside Richmond Crawford. I asked their vet to come over and have a look at the cat. They picked her up and handed her over to the Richmond Crawford staff who dressed the wound on her leg. The cat stayed there overnight. Today, on our request, the kind Brooke vet Dr. Shernawaz dropped the cat off to the Karachi Animal Hospital. Dr. Zulfiqar Otho, the director of the hospital, diagnosed her as most likely having a broken hip. He also said she might have jaundice, as her gums and eyes were quite yellow. She was also severely dehydrated and so was administered a drip and antibiotics.

We’ll be taking her for an x-ray to Gizri tomorrow morning. Hopefully, she’ll be able to get all better. She’s an extremely sweet natured cat and is currently confined to a cardboard box. The Karachi Animal Hospital is extremely limited on space – they only have about 4 pet carriers for cats and they are all already full of their own patients. Would anyone be interested in adopting or fostering her while she recovers from treatment? If you’re on facebook, sharing this cat’s story on your profile will help spread the word about her. Thanks!

Update – March 18, 2010

We took the cat for an x-ray to the Tabani Diagnostic Centre in Gizri today. According to Dr. Zulfiqar Otho, her pelvic bone is broken and will require surgery. However, she needs to recover from her jaundice first before she can be operated upon. Even today she was a bit dehydrated and required additional drips. She will also be on painkillers for a couple of days. He figures it would take at least two to three weeks for her to get strong enough for the operation, and then at least a month to recuperate from it.

Outside the clinic we ran into Chandi and his owners. Chandi was a young little pup when he was rescued from the streets of Karachi by a kind soul. They brought him to the Karachi Animal Hospital for a checkup where Dr. Otho dewormed and then later vaccinated him. The kind soul who rescued the pup kept him at their house for a few days, and then shifted him to the hospital where he stayed another couple of days, after which the puppy was adopted by Mustafa and his son Ali Sher. They named him Chandi. Mustafa is a labourer who works and lives at an under construction building behind the hospital. His family adores Chandi and look after him well. He’s got a collar on and isn’t tied up so is free to roam around the neighbourhood.

Just today Mustafa’s brother Ghulam Shabbir adopted two very healthy 5 week old mongrel puppies from someone he knew. He lives in the same building and said he was giving Sohna and Mona milk and bread but their tummies were out. We asked him to get both the pups checked out at the Karachi Animal Hospital. Dr. Kathio and Dr. Otho gave them a clean bill of health. They dewormed the pups and asked Ghulam Shabbir to bring them in again after a week for their vaccination. They also recommended he give them rice with chicken but that’s not something the owner can afford. Watered down milk and bread is probably all these pups will get twice a day.

Inside the hospital, the vets were busy treating someone’s dog. A few veterinary students from Baqai Veterinary College were also present for volunteer work and to learn from Dr. I.H Kathio’s experience. Dr. Kathio will be off tomorrow for lectures in Peshawar and at the Veterinary University in Tando Jam, where he also has a charity animal clinic.

Just as we were leaving, we spotted a lovely young black and white dog in the empty plot to the side of the hospital. We found out that he was rescued by a nearby shopkeeper, Mohammad Zawir, who saw him roaming around the neighbourhood injured. So he brought the dog to the Karachi Animal Hospital where Dr. Otho treated his wounds. The dog is better now and the hospital staff has even put a collar on him. He looked happy and healthy and well cared for. We did ask Mohammad Zawir to put out an earthen bowl with water for the dog. If anyone would like to help provide this, it would be most welcome!

All three pups -Chandi, Sohna and Mona – and the black and white dog are absolutely adorable. They are lucky to have found such loving folks to look after them. We have two such rescued dogs with us that are still looking for good homes. If you would like to adopt any one of them, please email us at info@pawspakistan.org or post the links below on your facebook profile to help spread the word about them. Thanks!

Brown and White Dog (mixed breed rescued from DHA)

White Dog (mongrel rescued from Saddar)

Visit pawspakistan.org/support for ways in which you can support PAWS in its work.

A report on the Edhi Animal Shelter by Sidra Omer.

KARACHI, Dec 20: Fifteen falcons belonging to a Saudi Arabian dignitary are reported to have been brought to Pakistan recently and sent back to the kingdom after a few days. Falcons are used by hunters, mostly from Arab Gulf states, to hunt the internationally protected houbara bustard for which special hunting permits are issued by the ministry of foreign affairs.

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