No water & sewage connection for unregistered pet parents, AMC rolls out strict policy

After the incident in Hathijan, where a four-month-old baby was mauled by a pet Rottweiler dog, the Amdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC) have taken a strict decision regarding pet dogs. 

Pet owners who do not register their dogs will face strict penalties, including the disconnection of water and drainage services to their homes or offices. Additionally, any unregistered pet dogs will be seized and placed in animal shelters, and their owners may be subject to further disciplinary action.

Municipal Commissioner Banchhanidhi Pani, who chaired a high-level meeting following the incident, has directed officials to draft a strict policy targeting unregistered pet dog owners. 

He has also issued instructions to seize dogs belonging to individuals who fail to comply with mandatory registration norms. According to the AMC, over 5,000 pet owners in Ahmedabad have formally registered their dogs.

However, the actual number of pet dogs in the city is believed to be significantly higher. In light of this, the Commissioner has called for a comprehensive survey to determine the true extent of pet ownership across various wards. The proposed policy will include heavy penalties for residents, particularly those in housing societies, flats, and apartments, who keep unregistered pet dogs.  

“The goal is to enforce accountability among pet owners and avoid incidents like the one in Hathijan,” the Commissioner said, adding that the municipality will take a zero-tolerance approach toward non-compliance.

The AMC is expected to roll out detailed guidelines and enforcement mechanisms in the coming weeks. Gujarat has witnessed a significant rise in pet ownership, particularly in urban centres like Ahmedabad. 

In Ahmedabad, on a single day, 397 pet dogs were registered by 297 pet owners. Meanwhile, in the Standing Committee meeting, instructions were given to the municipal administration to take strict action against pet owners in various city wards who keep unregistered dogs. So far, a total of 6,088 pet dogs have been registered by their owners in the city.

The effectiveness of this decision regarding pet dogs remains uncertain. This is particularly due to the ongoing debate over whether such actions fall within the legal scope of the Animal Cruelty Act.

(With inputs from syndicated feed)