Residents across Rawalpindi have raised concerns over the growing stray dog population, warning that packs roaming residential areas are posing a serious risk to children, elderly people and other citizens.
The concern has been further aggravated by the reported unavailability of anti-rabies vaccine (ARV) at several privately run healthcare facilities in Rawalpindi Cantonment.
Residents have urged municipal and cantonment authorities to immediately launch stray dog control operations and take preventive measures to improve safety in streets and residential areas.
“Packs of stray dogs roam freely through residential streets, making it extremely dangerous for schoolchildren and the elderly to venture outside during the early morning and late evening hours,” local resident said.
An APP spot survey of private hospitals and hospital pharmacies in Rawalpindi Cantonment found that ARV was unavailable at several facilities. Hospitals along main Peshawar Road were also found to be without vaccine stocks, leaving dog-bite victims unable to receive emergency treatment at private medical centers.
District Health Officer (DHO) Dr. Hafiz Jawad Zahid, however, said public-sector health facilities across the district were fully equipped to deal with animal-bite cases.
“All public-sector THQ hospitals and tertiary-care units across the district maintain complete, free stocks of anti-rabies vaccine and anti-snake venom,” he said, advising citizens to seek immediate treatment at government hospitals.
Official health records showed that 124 dog-bite cases were reported at THQ hospitals across Rawalpindi district in September 2026. Of these, 48 cases were reported in Taxila, 44 in Kahuta and 32 in Kallar Syedan.
Residents have criticized private hospitals and their pharmacies over the lack of ARV and called on health authorities to regularly monitor private healthcare facilities to ensure the availability of essential vaccines.
They have also demanded coordinated action by municipal, health and cantonment authorities, including systematic stray dog management, better sanitation and other preventive measures to reduce the risk of animal bites.
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