The (GCC) has passed a new resolution introducing a strict fine of ₹10,000 for pet owners who abandon their microchipped dogs or cats in public spaces. The rule came into force on 1 October. Under the new enforcement mechanism, civic body officials, including veterinary, medical and sanitary officers, will scan lost or stray pets to track down their registered owners through their microchips. These pet parents would be held accountable for abandoning their pet, and a penalty payment would be charged accordingly.
Besides this, the authorities would impose a ₹5,000 fine for keeping unlicensed pet dogs and ₹500 for letting dogs off-leash in public. With these rules, the civic body aims to curb the growing issue of abandoned domestic animals and enforce responsible pet care across the city.
LiveMint got in touch with Dr Rina Dev, a leading exotic veterinarian and founder of Riwild Sanctuary, who welcomed the move by the Greater Chennai Corporation.
The doctor shared that too often, owners don’t want to pay for treatment and medical bills for their pets, which leads to abandonment on the streets. But if a pet is microchipped, there would be a clear data mandate, benefitting both the pet and the owner.
“The idea is very well appreciated because, in today’s world, abandoning pets has become extremely common in every city. To tackle the problem, it will definitely help,” she said.
Dr Dev believes the directive will be equally welcomed by most vets in the industry. “Unfortunately, because the effect of a fine is there, people will realize the value and importance of microchipping. Sometimes, when you just give a directive that microchipping is mandatory without indicating the implications, such as a fine, people don’t take it seriously, and they do it at their own convenience. Pet parents often don’t do it. So imposing a fine, I see it as a good concept,” she added.
A for pets is a permanent identification device. It contains details of the dog, such as his lineage, birth details and owner’s name. It is tiny, almost the size of a grain of rice, and is injected under the skin with a needle.
Explaining the current microchipping trends, the doctor pointed out that only those travelling abroad with dogs or owners of high-value dogs tend to microchip their pets. General pet parents often skip the procedure due to a lack of understanding.
“People, as pet parents, don’t microchip their dogs because a lot of people don’t understand the benefit of microchipping in case the dog gets lost or stolen. Plus, honestly, as a vet, the microchip needle looks a bit big. So they would be like, why one more injection? People tend to ignore it and keep the microchip that comes with the dog’s papers. It’s not a very common procedure,” she explained.
Talking about the benefits of microchipping dogs and cats, the doctor remains hopeful that the mandate will streamline recovery and tracking efforts. The doctor shared that microchip numbers make it significantly easier to coordinate and reunite lost or abandoned dogs.
“We, as vets, are entering the details of the patient, including the microchip number, in our data. So tomorrow, when a dog gets abandoned, or you come across a lost dog, it becomes easy.”
She also pointed out that the new rule will help curb and commercial exploitation. She observed, “There are these puppy mills; it will regulate that also. We come across cases of puppy mills where, once the dog gets old and they cannot breed, they just abandon the dogs.”
“It’s a great move, keeping in mind the welfare of the animals,” she added.
