Greater Bengaluru Authority
For Bengaluru’s proud pet parents, life with their four-legged companions could soon come with a little more paperwork and an annual fee. The(GBA) has begun the long-pending process of regulating pet ownership in the city, with all five city corporations preparing uniform Pet Dog Licensing Bye-Laws.The proposed rules will cap the number of pet dogs a household can have at three, based on the size of the premises. Where three pet dogs are permitted, the third must be a street dog. Neutering and microchipping of all pet dogs will be mandatory, along with up-to-date vaccinations. Those with animal companions will have to pay an annual registration fee of Rs 500. In the case of a street dog, the charge will be Rs 50.However, a separate provision allows households to keep up to 10 rescued, injured or abandoned dogs, according to a GBA official. The rules will also require owners to walk dogs on leashes and clean up after them. Trainers, breeders and others involved in the pet trade will have to register with the GBA.The proposed bye-laws also specify penalties for failing to clean up after pets and procedures for collecting the fines.The draft rules, however, have raised concerns among residents and animal welfare workers, particularly those who rescue and foster animals.“We have about 15 rescued dogs within our compound. Where are these dogs supposed to go? Many people have rescued several dogs. One common objection to feeding strays is, ‘Take them to your house.’ Now, when we have actually taken them home and are caring for them, there are restrictions on that too,” said a rescuer from South Bengaluru.Another rescuer, on condition of anonymity, said they found nine puppies abandoned on the outskirts of the city five years ago. “We brought them home hoping to foster them and find them adoptive families, but there were no takers. They were vaccinated and neutered, and are now around five years old. What are we supposed to do with them? All put together, we have more than 10 dogs at home,” said the rescuer, a resident of North Bengaluru.Another resident questioned the restrictions on the number of pets a household can keep and said the focus should instead be on sterilising and vaccinating stray dogs.Animal welfare worker Manjari Chaitanya, a resident of South Bengaluru, said the registration and renewal charges should distinguish between pets and rescued or adopted dogs.“Today, pedigrees often need safe homes too. It’s tragic to impose such rules without considering these realities,” she said.“The rule, once gazetted, will be applicable from the date it is issued. While the number of pet dogs is capped at three based on the size of the premises, the limit is higher — up to 10 — for rescued, injured or abandoned dogs. A cap on the number of animals has been brought in to ensure that they are well taken care of. It will also resolve the issue of excessive barking and disturbance to neighbours,” said a GBA official.Residents and animal welfare advocates have sought changes before the rules are notified. Their demands include a separate foster licence so that house-size limits do not penalise rescuers temporarily housing dogs, objective criteria to define aggression and nuisance, higher registration fees for breeders and pet shops, along with regular welfare inspections, and a dedicated grievance mechanism to report RWA violations.