Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) will roll out its new pet policy in the next three months to make registering pet dogs and having up-to-date records of their annual vaccinations mandatory.
Officials said the policy was being carefully drafted, considering various legal aspects like Supreme Court verdicts and central government guidelines.
Owners will be able to get their dogs registered for a nominal fee of Rs 500. This process will take place online in easy steps.
Once the policy comes into effect, pet dogs will have to be on leash in public areas and their entry in some public parks may be banned.
“Parks are great places to exercise dogs, help them socialise and keep them calm but their entry may be restricted at many spaces. The rules are being examined at the moment,” an official said.
AMC will make annual vaccination certificates mandatory and has also plans to send reminders on shots on owners’ phones. Ahmedabad has around 50,000 pet dogs, with no official records of vaccinations.
Cities such as Vadodara and Surat have systems in place for dog owners to register their pets. AMC, the largest civic body in Gujarat, was yet to frame its rules. There was a proposal in 2014 to frame laws and make registration of pets mandatory. It was revised in 2016 but faced opposition from the political wing.
The official reiterated the importance of responsible pet ownership, aligning with the central government’s mission of rabies-free cities by 2030. “This means online registration, annual vaccinations, designated stray dog feeding spots, and no-go zones will be made mandatory,” said the AMC official.
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