Despite 150,000 pet dogs in Pune, only 1,500 licences obtained
A yearly license is necessary for pet dogs for which their owners must submit various documents to the municipal health department, including proof of rabies vaccination, address verification, a photo of the dog, tax payment receipt, and a no-objection certificate from the society
While there are around 150,000 pet dogs in the city, including those in the 23 villages merged with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), only 1,576 licences have been issued thus far indicating apathy on the part of the owners of these canines.
While the dog licencing procedure was previously manually handled by field offices, resulting in lengthy procedures, the health department has moved the entire process online since November 11, 2022 to encourage more owners to obtain licenses for their pet dogs. Despite this convenience however, citizens remain reluctant to obtain licenses.
A yearly licence is necessary for pet dogs for which their owners must submit various documents to the municipal health department, including proof of rabies vaccination, address verification, a photo of the dog, tax payment receipt, and a no-objection certificate from the society. Additionally, dogs should not be left outside their premises or taken to public places to prevent any harm. An affidavit stating compliance with these rules is required. Dog owners (within municipal limits) are subject to annexure 14 of the Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporation Act 1949, rule number 22 (a) and section 386 (1) of the paid license and terms and conditions card.
Veterinary superintendent of the PMC, Dr Sarika Funde, said, “We have centralised the system of online pet dog registration. All 15 ward offices have a system for that. Earlier, despite having offline pet dog registration, 3,500 pet dogs were registered offline. We started online registration from November 2022. Even after that, dog lovers have only registered 1,500 pet dogs so far. We appeal to citizens to register online their pet canines.”
Another official said, “There is strict action mentioned in the act. There is a Rs500 fine for not obtaining a licence for pets. There are around one lakh pet dogs in Pune city, including the 23 merged villages. However, only 1,500 pet dogs have acquired licenses from the PMC. It is only after the neighbours complain that we come to know the status of the pet’s licence. If we find someone hasn’t taken a license for their pet dog, we send notice to him/her and charge Rs500.”