The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday, June 19, released new guidelines for pet owners and animal lovers residing in the housing societies. It also includes regulations for those individuals who don't own pet but feed strays and societies and organisations. These rules will help protect both people and animals in Mumbai.
The new rules for pet owners are:
Owning a dog without a licence is illegal.
All pet dogs must be registered with the BMC under Section 191B of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, 1888.
Pet owners must get licences after paying the required taxes.
These rules follow orders from the Supreme Court and circulars from the Animal Welfare Board of India. The Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, were also used to make these guidelines.
The BMC said that it is not legal to trouble or stop people from feeding stray animals as feeding animals is protected by law.
People who feed stray animals must follow these rules:
They can feed cats and dogs on the street.
It must be done in a clean and safe place.
It should not be near children's play areas or on busy footpaths.
The food should not be raw meat or leftovers.
Feeders should help in sterilising and vaccinating the animals.
It should be done early in the morning or late at night when roads are less crowded.
There have been some issues in housing societies too. Therefore, the following rules have been released for housing societies:
Housing societies cannot ban pets or fix size limits for them. These actions go against citizens’ basic rights.
Societies also cannot stop people from feeding stray animals.
They can decide safe feeding areas and timings after talking to residents.
It is also illegal to hurt animals, trouble feeders, or leave pets without care. Societies should form Animal Welfare Committees as per the ABC Rules 2023.
Pet owners have clearly been aligned with the following rules:
They must keep their pets clean.
Pets must get regular vaccines and deworming and should be sterilised if possible.
Dogs must be on leashes in public.
Pet owners must clean up if their pets urinate or defecate in public places.
Pets can travel in lifts and go to public areas. Societies cannot ban them. But using separate lifts can be suggested.
Aggressive pets must be handled properly.
Children under 18 are not allowed to walk dogs alone.
Public places like schools, tech parks, and offices must also follow rules:
They cannot remove stray animals living on their campus.
These animals must be vaccinated and sterilised and then returned to the same place.
Such institutions must provide food, water, and shelter to these animals.
Staff must be taught to treat animals kindly.
Boards with awareness messages must be placed across the property.
People can contact the BMC Dog Control Unit at 9635839888 for help or queries. The full list of rules is available on the BMC Veterinary Health Department’s website at vhd.mcgm.gov.in.
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