KARACHI: With an aim to contain the ever-growing cases of dog-bites in the province, the Sindh government would soon launch a neutering programme at a cost of Rs500 million, Pakistan Today learnt on Tuesday.
The Sindh’s livestock department has moved a summary to the provincial chief minister for final approval in this regard. The project includes the establishment of animal sanctuary and training of staff who would neuter the dogs to combat dog-bites and overpopulation, according to sources.
The sources said that a broad scale pet sterilisation has been advocated to decrease the animal’s overpopulation around the world. The process involves TVR trap, vasectomy, and release.
“Neutering and spaying involve the removal of an animal’s reproductive organs which eliminates the hormones that are produced. Removing the gonads of an animal disrupts the natural hormone feedback which then becomes unregulated”, sources added.
While elaborating further, sources informed that the pituitary gland releases a luteinising hormone (LH), which then stimulates the production of steroid hormones from the gonads. Without the gonads, there is no feedback signal to reduce production so LH concentrations remain very high for the remainder of the dog’s life.
“Receptors for LH are present in the urinary tract, skin, thyroid, blood vessels, ligaments, bone, synovium, immune cells and brain. Elevated LH concentrations resulting in activation of these receptors may predispose neutered dogs to develop the health problems,” Pakistan Today was told.
When contacted, Sindh Livestock and Fisheries secretary said what many people are unwilling to consider. “I have seen how cruel and disrespectful people can be to the dogs in Karachi and I think we can all agree that that’s the reason why street dogs are biting people constantly,” he stated.
“There will be three centres to desex dogs in each district of Karachi city while there will be two centres each in all districts of the province,” the secretary told.