Chennai’s Pet Licensing System in Need of an Overhaul

Chennai: Following an attack on a five-year-old girl by two rottweilers at a park in Chennai, residents expressed their fury through social media, with WhatsApp groups filled with advisories, cautions, and notices. “Please do not let your children play when pet dogs without leashes are around” was among the most circulated cautionary messages following the incident on Sunday, 5 May. 

However, while citizens and those residing around GCC maintained parks and ground expressed the need for caution and safety, such a focus on safety was reportedly missing on behalf of the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC). 

The attack in the park on Sunday in the Thousand Lights region was a case of owner neglect as reported by the GCC, as the pets were allowed to roam off their leash in the park. However, questions are now being raised about processes like pet licensing and a pet’s conduct in public, and how very little changes on the ground even after warnings were issued and registration drives were performed. The GCC’s pet licensing system itself is somewhat rudimentary and keeps records of the number of dogs and their vaccination status. 

Out of ~27,000 pet dogs in the city as reported by the GCC, only 1,565 are registered; the actual number of registrations may be lower still according to animal activist groups. The pet dog registration license is only issued if the pet is vaccinated against rabies in GCC’s office, online, or at one of the five animal birth control centers in Chennai. The online registration provisions began in 2023, but they have since become redundant. 

“What is the point of licensing if it is only to keep tabs on vaccination? They should install microchips to the pets to track them and owners too, like how they do it in other countries," said animal activist Antony Rubin.

“If a pet owner does not procure a license, then the corporation gives notice to get it in seven days. No penalty is imposed on not having a license,” said a corporation official. However, Section 10 of the Tamil Nadu Animals and Birds in Urban Areas (Control and Regulation) Act, 1997 asks the govt to seize unlicensed animals and birds.