Recently, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the government authority in charge of Bangalore’s civic administration, came out with the Pet Dog Licensing By-Laws 2018, through its Notification Number UDD: 225 MNY 2013. The notification talks about pet ownership, licensing and registration, as well as regulation on the kinds and numbers of pets one can have. Some of its controversial provisions include – caps on 1 dog per flat, and 3 per independent house. The notification also includes restrictions on certain breeds - such as the pitbull, Akita, Neopolitan Mastiff, Tosa, bull terrier and Rottweiler, that are to be muzzled in public. Importantly, the notification also calls for the confiscation of the dog if found straying away from the owner.

FIAPO is strongly in opposition to this notification, as it causes deep distress to animals, is likely to cause harassment of pet guardians, and does not take concrete steps to ensure that harmony is maintained between dogs and people. It is also likely to cause to harm those breeds of dogs that are not protected under the notification, and even lead to their abandonment. To counter this, FIAPO is working with the BBMP to put forth a more animal-friendly notification.

This recommended alternative included the following –

Pet guardians must care for their dogs – through adequate food, water, exercise, socialization, grooming and medical care. The community must be protected through the sterilization, immunization and micro-chipping of dogs, while dog owners must pick up their dogs’ poop and leash them in public spaces when they are in risk of hurting others.

Most importantly, dogs must not suffer for their guardian’s non-compliance of registration and licensing laws – this penalty must fall on the guardians alone. Such a provision is likely to cause dogs great distress!

To see our entire list of objections and recommendations to the BBMP Commissioner, click to read the letter sent out to MC Commissioner, East Delhi.

FIAPO stands united with the #NotWithoutMyDog movement!