LAHORE: A total of people across Punjab were bitten by stray dogs from January 2024 till March 2026, revealed a report of the provincial health & population department submitted to the Lahore High Court.

As per the statistics presented in the report, 232,704 people were bitten by dogs in 2024, while 243,299 cases were reported in 2025. In the first three months of 2026 alone, as many as 38,586 incidents of dog bite were recorded in the province.

The report highlights that certain districts reported significantly higher numbers of dog bite cases. Dera Ghazi Khan recorded the highest number with 34,293 cases, followed by Rahim Yar Khan with 33,122 cases and Faisalabad with 32,853 cases.

Other districts include Muzaffargarh (29,471), Rajanpur (27,500), and Rawalpindi (26,586 cases).

In Lahore, 18,514 people were bitten by dogs, while Gujranwala reported 20,147 cases and Kasur recorded 19,372 cases. Similarly, Mianwali (19,099), Multan (16,213), Sargodha (15,746), Sheikhupura (15,340), and Gujrat (15,468) reported a notable number of dog bite incidents.

According to the department, dog bite incidents are being continuously monitored across the province and measures are in place to provide immediate medical treatment and administer anti-rabies vaccination (ARV) to the affected individuals.

The report claims that sufficient vaccine is available in health facilities, as well as provincial stores in the province.

The data shows that as many as 17,079 ARV vials are available in the provincial stock and 52,640 in districts’ stock.

The district and tehsil headquarters hospitals (DHQ and THQ), and rural health centres in the province have established a minimum quantity of ARV vials i.e 100, 50 and 20 each, respectively.

The report was filed in response to a petition by the Young Doctors Association (YDA) questioning the government’s failure to control the dog bite incidents.

Justice Khalid Ishaq adjourned the petition till May 4 for further arguments in the light of the report furnished by the department.

UNDERTAKINGS: The Lahore High Court on Thursday sought written undertakings from the Punjab government, the Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) and the Livestock department for strict enforcement of the Punjab Animal (Dogs) Birth Control Policy 2021.

Justice Hassan Nawaz Makhdoom was hearing a petition by PPP-Lahore leaders — Majeed Ghouri and Waheed Lodhi.

Barrister Maqsooma Zahra Bokhari told the court that the LWMC officials carried out a dog ‘killing’ operation in Johar Town area, the other day, despite a verbal undertaking given by the Punjab government’s law officer.

She said the operation by gun-wielding officials also created panic in the area, which amounted to an act of terrorism.

At this, the judge directed the respondents to furnish written undertakings regarding the enforcement of the policy.

The judge would resume further hearing on April 13.

Published in Dawn, April 3rd, 2026