IN our country the population of stray dogs is still controlled through poisoning. Eatables laced with poison are placed at various places during campaigns to eliminate dogs.

I do not know exactly which poison is used, but the animal dies a painful death after several hours of extreme agony. The poison kills not only the dog, but scores of cats, mynahs and crows also fall prey to these campaigns. My heart weeps for that cute stray cat whom I had been feeding for some time, and her little innocent kitten that now has to live on its own while still being an infant.

I tried to bring him home but it got scared and ran away. Every evening the little creature comes back to the same place where it used to live with its mother and keeps crying. All I can do for it is to put some milk in a saucer outside my door.

In most parts of the world the population of stray dogs is controlled by neutering them. Why cannot this be done here as well instead of poisoning?

I appeal to all saner elements of civil society and animal rights activists to raise their voice against this gruesome, unethical and heartless practice and put pressure on the relevant authorities to do away with it.

PROF (Dr) SURAYYA KHATOON Karachi