Three dogs per household? Ernakulam District panchayat weighs new pet rules

The number of pet dogs a person can own in Ernakulam is likely to be limited shortly. The district authorities are reportedly considering limiting the number of pet dogs per household to two or three. They have started discussions with various stakeholders to determine a feasible limit.

“It won’t be feasible to keep more than three dogs in a house in the current scenario. We are in the process of arriving at a feasible number for individual dog owners. There would be separate guidelines and policies for dog breeders. The licensing regime will also be strengthened,” said K.G. Radhakrishnan, chairperson, Ernakulam District Panchayat.

The district authorities are also working on a comprehensive stray dog management programme. The plans include sterilisation and vaccination, licensing of breeders, and licensing and microchipping of pet dogs.

Speaking at the district panchayat council meeting on Tuesday (September 29), Mr. Radhakrishnan said stray dog management was not restricted to implementing the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme but also included pet dog management, setting up designated feeding centres and shelters, and licensing breeders.

Following a recent stray dog attack in Angamaly, in which 10 people were bitten, calls for better management of stray dogs have grown louder.

With an increase in the abandonment of pet dogs on the streets, stricter rules need to be introduced, said Kochi Corporation Health Standing Committee chairperson Seena Gokulan.

“We have noticed a sharp increase in the number of dogs being abandoned by their owners when they fall sick. We are considering a tracking mechanism to address this. A licence is mandatory for owners keeping pets at home, and we may introduce microchipping or another mechanism to track the dogs so that pets are not abandoned,” said Ms. Seena.

Stray dog issue in college campus

Government Polytechnic College, Kalamassery, has long been grappling with an increase in the number of stray dogs on its campus, with no action taken yet, according to college authorities.

Julie Chandra C.S., a faculty member in the Department of Chemistry and staff secretary of the institution, said that despite written complaints to the Kalamassery municipality in the past, little had been done.

“Our campus is huge, and stray dogs loiter around. They often get aggressive. There was also a recent incident where a faculty member who arrived at the campus at night was cornered by several dogs. The person had a narrow escape. Since last year, we have been complaining to the municipality, but no action has been taken. We are filing a fresh complaint now,” said Ms. Chandra.