Ahmedabad — The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has sent a strong message to dog owners, telling them that if they don’t register their pets, they could face fines starting at ₹20,000 and for repeat offenders, even harsher punishments will be given. The move was made because people weren’t following the rule requiring all dogs to be registered. The rules were put in place to improve public health and animal control in the city.
Concerns Grow Over Low Compliance
Government sources say that there are about 50,000 pet dogs in Ahmedabad. However, only about 19,000 have been registered so far, even though everyone has to. The AMC is worried about the low rate of participation and says tighter policing is needed to make sure people follow the rules.
The registration program was started as part of a larger effort to keep an eye on people who own pets, keep track of shots, and help the city control rabies. Officials said that pets that aren’t listed make it hard to keep track of their health data and act in cases of dog bites or disagreements.
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Possible punishments for not registering
Because of this, the AMC is almost done finalizing a standard operating procedure that will punish dog owners who don’t register their pets. Based on the suggested framework
- A fine of ₹20,000 could be given for a first offense.
- A fine of up to ₹50,000 may be given for a second offence.
- If the pet owner doesn’t follow the rules, the cops could take action against them.
Officials said that these rules are meant to encourage responsible pet ownership rather than punish owners needlessly.
How to Register and How Much It Costs
The AMC has also raised the fee to register a dog. The fee that was 200 naira at first has been raised to 2000 naira per dog. The new fee, according to officials, covers administrative costs and helps keep pet information up to date.
Once a pet is registered, it should be given a unique ID number that helps officials identify its owner and determine whether it has been vaccinated when needed.
Pay attention to public safety and rabies control
Officials from the city stressed that registering dogs is an important step toward making the public safer. Keeping accurate records helps the government run vaccine campaigns and handle complaints about animals in the right way. Registration also ensures that people are held responsible for dog bites or for breaking the law.
Public health experts are happy about the change because they say that keeping track of pets is a key part of stopping the spread of rabies and keeping cities clean.
There will be a drive to enforce soon
The AMC has told its offices to finish drafting the rules for execution and start checking buildings across the city. Pet owners may receive letters asking them to follow the rules before they are fined. Officials said that regulations and efforts to raise awareness will continue to ensure that people know what they need to do.
The city government told pet owners that they needed to register their pets as soon as possible to avoid fines and make pet care in Ahmedabad safer and better organized.
