Pakistan is reeling in the harrowing aftermath of a deeply disturbing case from Lahore, where a woman had been brutally torturing and killing pets in her house. torture

An Instagram influencer and model based in Lahore, under the handle @dejaylazawal, was arrested in her home in the city’s Defence area after reports of torture and killings of animals were made against her.

The gruesome situation was exposed after the JFK Animal Rescue and Shelter received reports about graphic content being shared on the influencer’s Instagram account. The posts included disturbing images and videos of animals, including rabbits, cats, and exotic species, being tortured and killed.

Screenshots circulating online showed blood-soaked animals and cramped cages, with the influencer allegedly responding to inquiries about her actions with explicit and violent language. One particularly harrowing image depicted a white rabbit lying in a pool of blood, seemingly dead.

The shelter promptly alerted Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Syeda Shehrbano Naqvi, who led a swift police raid on the suspect’s residence. What authorities discovered was described as “more disturbing than imagined.”

The scene included animal remains, blood, and cigarettes scattered around, with the suspect reportedly laughing when confronted by police. ASP Naqvi later addressed the incident in a video, noting that the woman appeared to be suffering from a mental health crisis and had been sharing “extremely graphic content” online.

The Punjab Police acted quickly, arresting the suspect and lodging a First Information Report (FIR) against her under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1890. Domestic animals found at the scene were relocated to JFK’s shelter with assistance from the Pakistan Animal Rescue Centre (PARC), while exotic species were handed over to the Wildlife Department.

ASP Naqvi urged the public to raise awareness about animal abuse and emphasized the dangers of allowing individuals with mental health issues to keep pets. “If you know someone struggling with mental illness, please do not give them pets,” she said, calling for guardians to intervene if animals are already in such individuals’ care.

While the swift response from the Punjab Police and organizations like JFK and PARC is commendable, the case underscores the urgent need for legal reform and public education on animal welfare. Activists argue that empathy and compassion, as emphasized at Pakistan’s first Farm Animal Welfare Conference in June 2025, must guide efforts to protect animals from cruelty.