Karachi – Pakistan (HRNW)- Karachi is witnessing a disturbing increase in stray dog attacks, with over 29,000 reported incidents in 2025 alone. Alarmingly, 19 people have died due to rabies, a fatal disease transmitted through dog bites.
Areas most affected include Landhi, Korangi, Defence, Mahmoodabad, Orangi Town, and Malir, where the stray dog population is rapidly growing, causing fear and disruption in daily life.
Medical experts warn that rabies is an incurable and deadly disease. Once symptoms appear, survival is nearly impossible. Early signs include headache, restlessness, and fear of water or air.
Doctors identify the primary causes of the growing stray dog population as poor sanitation, garbage piles, and inefficient waste management, which provide both food and shelter for the animals.
Hospitals across the city report rising numbers of patients bitten by dogs:
- Indus Hospital treats about 150 cases daily, with 16,000 patients treated so far this year and 8 deaths from rabies.
- Jinnah Hospital reported 13,000 cases, including 11 fatalities.
The World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes that washing bite wounds thoroughly with soap and clean water for at least 10 minutes and immediate administration of the anti-rabies vaccine is critical to saving lives.
Residents have called for emergency action against stray dogs and for an improvement in the city’s sanitation system to prevent further loss of life.
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