ISLAMABAD: Citizens and animal welfare organisations held a protest outside Marghazar Zoo on Saturday against animal cruelty.

The movement #VoicefortheVoiceless aims to compel the government and society to adopt humane practices and stop animal cruelty effective immediately.

Renowned actor Mishi Khan and others joined the protest. The protesters carried placards with demands to improve the condition of the zoo.

Speaking on the occasion, the speakers said thousands of animals suffered every day by lack of humane treatment. For a long time, the state has been silent on matters of animal rights.

This protest is a step towards highlighting the fundamental requirements of animals: provision of food, vaccination, and neutering facility. Since vaccination can eradicate the risk of communicating diseases while the availability of food will keep them calm.

To control animal population, they said access to neutering facility will be effective to serve the cause. The animals are subject to brutal living conditions and are often killed in Pakistan on a daily basis.

Anila Umair, one of the organisers, urged the government to adopt a humane system of treating animals, such as the CNVR (Catch, Neuter, Vaccinate and Release) employed by most developed nations. Since humanity comes first, animals have a significant place in the environment. It is certainly an alarming situation where such brutality must be stopped while at the same time effective and compassionate alternatives should be adopted, she added.

Published in Dawn, October 13th, 2019