Karachi resident and former police officer Humayun Ali Khan’s agreement to put down both his dogs that attacked Advocate Mirza Akhtar in DHA Phase-VI is a move that screams scapegoating, especially considering his failure to show up to the initial hearing. In lieu of facing legal action, the owner has reached a compromise with the other party, which not only includes a Rs. 1,000,000 donation to the Ayesha Chundrigar Foundation but also the euthanization of both the dogs involved in the incident. The incident that was caught on CCTV footage and widely circulated on social media lead to heated debates on pet ownership and owner culpability; while many opined that ownership of dogs itself was the problem, a few voices pointed out that the fault lies entirely with the owner and handlers for failing to train the dogs and being untrained in handling such situations themselves. While the victim of the attack was well within his rights to seek legal action against Humayun, it is important to note that the dogs actions were a reflection of the training they have received, thus punishing them for the owner’s lack of care does not seem just at all in this particular fight for justice. Perhaps the parties could have focused instead on the rehabilitation of the dogs, ensuring Humayun pay for their proper training along with coaching classes for the dog handlers. Another possible solution could have been relocating the dogs after rehabilitation to a setting where they could have served as guard or security dogs. The agreement to donate to an animal shelter and the simultaneous euthanization of the dogs involved is such a contrary move and one that begs us to ask – when will we have more concrete laws that protect animals from us humans?
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