Over the past few years, Pakistan’s relationship with dogs has visibly evolved. In gated communities and urban enclaves, pet ownership has risen sharply. Social media is full of Labradors on patios, Huskies on driveways, and beagles in shopping carts.

On the other hand, public spaces in low- and middle-income areas continue to be shaped by another, more unpredictable reality: the growing presence of stray dogs. Some are watched over by local shopkeepers and households who feed them leftovers or treat them like community guardians.

Caught between these extremes is a growing debate that has become both polarising and deeply personal. Animal rights activists have long opposed the culling of stray dogs, arguing instead for humane sterilisation and vaccination drives. Yet in many neighbourhoo

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