BMC Announces Bylaw On Pet Dogs In Bhubaneswar; Rs 10,000 Penalty For Violation

Bhubaneswar: In order to control the dog menace in Odisha capital, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Sunday notified its bylaw on pet regulations.

In its notification, the BMC appealed to the people to register their pet dogs under the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (Registration and Proper Control of Dogs) bylaw 2023. One can register the pet dog by paying a fee of Rs 500 in the BMC office.

The notification stated that nobody can keep a dog that is older than four months without getting the annual registration. He has to produce a certificate from a veterinary doctor that the dog has been inoculated for rabies.

On registration, the owner will be supplied with a metal token/tag/chip having name and address of the owner engraved on it. The owner will be responsible for making the dog wear it all times in a collar.

Any dog found not wearing the metal token/tag/chip of registration and straying on the streets or beyond the premises of the owner’s house may be detained by the BMC. If the pet is not claimed within one week by paying fee of Rs 50 per day, the BMC will dispose it of.

The owner has to keep the dog chained/leashed while taking it outside. All ferocious dogs have to be muzzled and a stick will be carried by the escort accompanying the dog while taking it out. He has to compensate the person if a dog bites or causes any other harm to any person or the property of any person. The owner of the dog will not take the dog to the area other public places/gardens as specified by the BMC.

The owner of a dog, who violates the bylaw, will be liable to be imposed penalty upto Rs 10,000 and if the violation is of a continuing nature, an additional fine of Rs 200 per day would be charged, the BMC notification said.