Days after the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) put out a public notice stating that unregistered pet dogs taken into its custody “are liable to be destroyed or otherwise disposed of”, unless they are claimed and a fee is paid within a week, pet dog owners are grappling with anxiety over one unsettling question: “Will my dog be taken away?”
Sources said the MCG recently took away four dogs — a Pakistani Bully from Sector 14, a German Shepherd from Sector 9, a mini Bully from Bhim Nagar and a Pitbull from Ullawas village. “Those dogs weren’t registered with MCG. They were taken into custody and sent to a shelter in Basai as per by-laws,” said an official. Earlier this week, the MCG issued a public notice directing pet owners under its jurisdiction to comply with bylaws of the Haryana Municipal Corporation Act, 1994. It said all dogs under municipal jurisdiction must be registered with the municipal commissioner (registration authority) and every registered dog shall wear a collar attached to a metal token in a public place.
It said non-compliance would mean that the dog shall be “detained at a place set apart for the purpose”. The notice added that a fixed fee shall be charged for such “detention” and any such dog shall be liable to be “destroyed or otherwise disposed of” unless it is claimed and the fee is paid within a week. The MCG had sought information on “dangerous and ferocious species of dogs” from pet owners, RWAs and former councillors, among other stakeholders.
Pet owners said the developments have stunned them, especially after the MCG started detaining unregistered dogs without giving appropriate time or clarity about guidelines.
Vijaypal Yadav, the deputy municipal commissioner, could not be reached for a comment despite repeated attempts.
Jitin Rao, a Sector 46 resident, who owns two Rottweilers, said, “What does it mean to destroy or dispose of a dog? Are they going to cull all unclaimed dogs? This is inhumane. The guidelines need to be clear. How will they ascertain whether a dog breed is ‘ferocious’ or ‘aggressive’? My dogs are my family. If the authorities are considering banning foreign breeds, they should put a stop at a point of sale or import or during their registration with the Kennel Club of India (KCI). Such order will only lead to more dogs being abandoned.”
Some pet owners said they were not aware of public notices, adding that authorities need to give some time and facilitate a process for the registration of dogs, which is not cumbersome.
A resident of DLF Phase 3 said, “There has to be a process to facilitate registration of dogs. Camps need to be set up in residential areas, proper guidelines must be explained to dog owners, a nominal fee must be charged and a time frame has to be decided after consultation. Authorities cannot issue a blanket order and impose such rules. I have two unregistered Labrador Retrievers. I do not know the process. What if I have not read the notice? How can someone barge into my house for an inspection and take away our dogs?”
Barkha Roy, a resident of a Gurgaon society, said after the order of the consumer forum banning foreign breeds and mandating registration as well as notices of MCG, her landlord asked her to get her dog registered to avoid any hassle.
“I have adopted two dogs, an indie and a Shih Tzu. The latter had been abandoned, so I adopted it. For registration, if a certificate of purchase is required since it is a foreign breed, where will I arrange those papers for a rescued pet? The societies are putting up lists of ‘dos and don’ts’ for pet dogs in terms of using lifts after the order. My apprehension is that I may be asked to vacate and it will be difficult to find a house with two pets,” she said.
A resident, who has a Dogo Argentino, said, “During Covid, a lot of dogs were abandoned. I had rescued my dog from behind a dumpster. Recently, I got a notice from the MCG asking me to produce pet book and lineage records/documents of importer since it’s a foreign breed. How do I get documents for a dog I rescued? When I took this up with officials, they said you can take a month to arrange documents and then we will take away your dog. I am quite worried.”
On November 15, the district consumer disputes redressal forum in Gurgaon had issued directions to MCG to ban pet dogs of 11 breeds — American Pit-bull Terr-iers, Dogo Argentino, Rottweiller, Neapolitan Mastiff, Boerboel, Presa Canario, Wolf Dog, Bandog, American Bulldog, Fila Brasileiro and Cane Corso. The commission had also directed the civic body to ensure one family will keep one dog as a pet and to take all stray dogs in its custody. On November 30, the Punjab and Haryana High Court stayed the order Chetna Joshi, honorary animal welfare officer, Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), claimed that despite the HC stay, the MCG was harassing and threatening pet owners by citing arbitrary guidelines.
