GCC move to halt licence for Pit Bulls, Rottweilers puts owners in distress
CHENNAI: With the civic body announcing a ban on keeping Rottweilers and Pit Bulls as pets within the city corporation limits, and halting the issuance of new licences and even renewals for these breeds a week ago, animal activists and pet owners have raised concerns that the move could lead to increased abandonment and a rise in the stray dog population. In Chennai, the civic body has issued pet licences to 607 Rottweilers and 72 Pit Bulls. City-based activists said that during the recent microchipping drive for pets held by the Greater Chennai Corporation between October 8 and December 14 this year, many pet dogs were allegedly abandoned on the streets. They attributed this to the short time provided for the exercise, which forced owners to wait for long hours in queues to obtain pet licences. In other cases, families who did not know how to go about the licensing process might also have considered abandoning their pets for fear of being asked to pay the fine of Rs 5,000 from December 15, they said. E Martina, an animal rescuer, said, In recent months, since the mandatory microchipping drive began, we have been rescuing five to seven abandoned pet dogs from the streets every week across the city. Stopping the renewal now and halting the issuance of licences for Pit Bulls and Rottweilers will only lead to an increase in such abandonments by pet owners, fearing potential penalties. Santhosh M (32) of Ambattur, who has been raising pet dogs for 21 years and currently owns his third Rottweiler, said it was unfair to target an entire breed due to the negligence of a few owners. First, the corporation asked us to get a pet licence, and we did, but now they are saying no renewals. We cant abandon or euthanise them. The announcement has only pushed pet owners into uncertainty, with the constant fear of losing their pets, he said. None of my dogs, including Rottweilers, have been involved in bite incidents, Santhosh said and argued that stricter enforcement of rules such as allowing such breeds only in gated houses and mandating leashes and muzzles would be more effective than a ban. Any dog can bite. If not Rottweilers or Pit Bulls, even Pomeranians or Shih Tzus can bite; responsibility lies with the owner, not the breed, he added. Speaking to TNIE , a corporation official from the veterinary department said, With licence renewals set to be stopped for Pit Bulls and Rottweilers, even if owners abandon these pets on the streets, we can identify them through microchipping and hold them accountable. It is the owners responsibility to ensure that the pets they have are kept outside the city, as the ban has now been implemented to ensure public safety. Meanwhile, the official also acknowledged that abandoned dogs of these breeds without licences would pose a problem and be difficult to trace. Antony Rubin, an animal welfare activist, said, Pet owners and animal rescuers are already under pressure following the recent Supreme Court ruling and the GCCs back-to-back announcements on pet dog regulations. They are facing backlash from residents welfare associations and public for keeping dogs, leaving many to find ways to abandon their animals often along highways or in neighbouring districts such as Tiruvallur, to avoid being tracked. So, instead of further pushing pet owners towards abandonment by halting licence renewals, the corporation should at least allow existing owners of these breeds to keep their pets until their lifetime and ensure that they are properly sterilised to prevent its population growth. He added, With the corporation having already restricted the new purchase of such breeds within the city, it should mainly focus on curbing their sale by breeders operating here. However, so far, no steps have been taken in this. It may be recalled that the GCC had said any new purchase of the said breeds to raise them as pets will attract a penalty of Rs 1 lakh.
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