Hey Delhiite! Are you a responsible dog parent?

With effect from this month, the Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation has increased the registration fee for pet dogs from ₹200 to ₹1,000. Not just this, a failure to comply to this would lead to a fine of ₹5,000! This charge applicable in the satellite city has led to pet parents in Delhi and other NCR cities wonder whether it’s possible to act like a responsible pet parent!
Even after laws being put in place, still not everyone knows that it’s mandatory to register one’s pet dog. This is as per Section 399 of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act 1957. A senior officer with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) says, “It is not a mandate across the country, but the rules are strict when it comes to the Capital. Still many pet parents go about without registering their dogs.”
As per the official, there are some basic requirements to ensure that one is being responsible with their pets and these include spaying/neutering of the animal to ensure that the pet does not contribute in any way to the growth of stray canine population. “The owners must also not abandon their pet dog or stray in public places, or allow aggressive dogs to be roaming freely in public places without a muzzle,” adds the MCD official. Another important thing to remember for pet parents is cleanliness. The official adds, “Pet owners cannot allow their pet to defile public places and must scoop the poop instantly at the spot (where their dog has defecated). Negligence (in cleaning or scooping the pet’s poop) will result in a fine of ₹500 from Department of Environment Management Services (DEMS).”
Although the MCD and civic bodies in the satellite cities of Delhi have made the registration of pet dogs mandatory, several Delhiites still feel reluctant when it comes to the process. Sachin Kumar, an advocate with Delhi District and High Court, shares, “I have a pet labrador and also take care of the community dogs in my neighbourhood, who are allowed to move freely in and out of my house… I don’t feel very comfortable in registering all of these with the MCD because I feel it’s a futile exercise. There are lakhs of strays who are not registered by the MCD, even when these are taken for neutering only to be dumped back on the streets later. The authorities don’t have any space… Where will they take my dog if they feel I’m not following the rules? But, I am a responsible parent for my lab, who is seven years old, and is fully vaccinated and was sterilised when he was two years old. I do not want to breed him because that’s not why I adopted him. I strongly feel that rather than just pet dogs, these efforts should be directed at the unethical breeders who keep animals in unhygienic and inhumane conditions.”
But not every pet parent feels that registration is a futile exercise. Among them is Ashima Singh, a resident of Dwarka sector 17, who opines, “Registration is an important activity to ensure that the civic authorities can track the canine population, pet and stray, just like there is a census for humans… I recently adopted a beagle. He’s only four months old but I will be registering him on the MCD portal once his vaccines are complete and he is sterilised.”
The varied views are not just limited to registering of pets but are also on other stringent rules for pets. “Like I am extremely against neutering my dog,” says Ashok Pillai, a resident of Noida sector 21, adding, “I don’t see a reason why my beagle should not experience a normal life, as led by so many dogs. Most of the rules are necessary, including muzzling of aggressive pets and scooping the poop. And there is no question about the vaccines, which are a must. But neutering of pets should be a personal choice!”
As per the MCD official, pet registration, or dog license, establishes the ownership of the dog, in case it gets lost or stolen. Moreover, in case of a dog bite, the civic bodies have the legal authority to take the dog away if it is not registered. The registration process also helps in maintaining the exact count of pet dogs that are vaccinated against the rabies virus in different zones of the city. The purpose of the exercise is to prepare a database of pet dog owners, control illegal practices like unregistered dog breeding, and monitor pets’ vaccination schedules.
Streamlining the process, MCD’s online portal (mcdonline.nic.in) allows anyone to apply for a fixed fee. One needs to fill out the application form and upload the documents, including address proof, a picture of the dog with the owner as well as the rabies vaccination certificate duly signed by a veterinary doctor. Upon making the payment, there is a licence generated online that can be downloaded or printed. However, the applicant must be above 18 years of age.
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