Domesticating exotic or wild animals is a big no-no. Although millions of people around the world are fond of keeping pets, but safety and well-being of animals should be the prime concern.
In Pakistan, one needs to make sure that safety of people living in their neighbourhood as well as the animals isn’t compromised, but many do not seem to understand this.
While people generally don’t fancy keeping pets and believe it to be inhumane, there are some who put their entertainment above everything. Most recently, the Pakistani nation saw another case of animal cruelty in Islamabad.
A resident of DHA had a ‘pet’ leopard, which went on the rampage on Friday afternoon and attacked some people.
Instead of arresting IK, the government should arrest His Majesty General Retd Akram Raja of St.4 Sector D, DHA Islamabad, who let his pet leopard kill one guard and injure 3 others.
Or not, this isn’t a serious country.— Captain Pakistan (@bainganwala) February 16, 2023
Luckily, the big cat has been captured and put in a safe place. However, Pakistani Twitter is pretty angry over this irresponsible behaviour of the Islamabad resident.
The lone male common leopard captured from DHA was sedated and brought safely to IWMB’s rescue & rehab centre. The leopard is now awake & roaming inside it’s enclosure. There were NO fatalities. Everyone is safe and sound! @WildlifeBoard @ClimateChangePK pic.twitter.com/LHdGthjds5
— Rina S Khan Satti (@rinasaeed) February 16, 2023
According to media reports, the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board and Capital Development Authority took more than five hours to capture the leopard after tranquilizing it — as a last resort.
Among those criticising the incident are comedian Ali Gul Pir and artist Zulfikar Ali Bhutto who lambasted the culprits, and demanded satisfying answers.
Who was the idiot that kept a leopard as a pet in a residential area? I swear peoples dumbass behaviour amazes me. Reminds me of that idiot who kept a giraffe in a house in DHA, Karachi. Probably compensating for a small peepee https://t.co/1Eg7yisEtW
— Ali Gul Pir (@Aligulpir) February 17, 2023
Last night’s Islamabad Leopard incident brought to light a few things. One don’t have a leopard as a pet, two we have the capacity not to kill, three don’t crowd around a carnivore. Glad people got away without any fatalities.
— Zulfikar Ali Bhutto ذوالفقار علي ڀٽو (@BhuttoZulfikar) February 17, 2023
Twitterati on the other hand is doing its job; from churning out memes to adding on to Pir and Bhutto’s remarks.
Pakistan is the only country where when people hear that there’s a leopard on the loose they come out on to the street to find him instead of staying in their homes
— Twitt.Arhum (@arhuml92) February 16, 2023
When the dollar is sky high and petrol is increasing daily & then you get out of home and see a leopard running toward you ..#dha2 #Leopard pic.twitter.com/aRBTjjXlVp
— Assad Bajwa (@oyebajwey) February 16, 2023
The only person can save #Islamabad right now#btwhamzahere #Zaman_Park #Leopard #dha2 pic.twitter.com/EfKwGze3gY
— M Hamزa Siddiقui (@btw_hamza_here) February 16, 2023
Leopard in Islamabad watching everything is getting closed after 8pm pic.twitter.com/TnC2G8ZQ7z
— Hani (@haniraza007) February 16, 2023
And a leopard in Islamabad https://t.co/8gMLz1HA8L
— Danish Khan???????? (@dk__december) February 17, 2023
Request for each update to also mention that the common leopard was under captivity and not astray from the nearby margalla hills which people like me thought must have been the case. Disgusted. so vile
If you are aware of individuals who keep wildlife in captivity plz report them https://t.co/LTeJmOc5JV— Fozia Parveen (@foziaTahir) February 17, 2023
so you’re telling me you shoot to kill a leopard who is probably more terrified because its definitely not where it belongs?? howcome we’ve become so inhuman and why tf don’t we have the basic necessities to deal with these sorts of incidents? har cheez ka hal maarna thori hai.
— Moiz (@rantingsedsoul) February 16, 2023
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first case in Pakistan. Previously, a man domesticated a giraffe at his home.
Wild leopard terrorises Islamabad residents, leaves three injured