The man-animal conflict seems to have spilled out from jungles and entered gated communities.
Residents’ welfare associations (RWA) from Noida, Ghaziabad, and Gurgaon, to Bengaluru find themselves caught in the middle of a fight between pet parents and those seeking stringent regulations to keep pet and stray dogs in line.
In October, a seven-month-old child was mauled to death by a stray dog inside a gated community in Noida’s sector 100. The child belonged to daily wage earners who were engaged in construction work in the society.
RWAs take matters into their own hands
Earlier, in September, following other such incidents of dogs turning on residents / guests, #BanPitbull, #PetPolicy, and #NoidaAuthority had started trending across social media, and the Federation of Association of Apartment Owners, Ghaziabad, had issued a string of guidelines for pet owners.
They said that dogs had to be leashed and muzzled within the society premises (outside the pet parent’s flat). The guideline also urged people to avoid using elevators if animals were present, and suggested the creation of a pet-friendly area inside the society.
Pet owners felt the regulations were unfair and illegal. The Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) served a notice to a housing society forbidding it from imposing fines on pet parents, and charging GST on top of that.
The GNIDA reminded the society that it alone had the power to frame policies.
In November, the Noida Authority came up with new guidelines that made it compulsory for pet owners to register their pets by January 31, or pay a fine.
Quoting Noida Authority CEO Ritu Maheshwari, a notice issued by the Parx Laureate society, located in sector 108, says: "From March 1, 2023, in case of any untoward incident due to a pet dog / cat, the pet owner will pay for the treatment of an injured person or animal, along with a fine of Rs 10,000.”
Similarly, the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram has warned that unregistered dogs will be ‘destroyed or disposed of.’
Hearing a dog bite case on November 15, the district consumer disputes redressal forum in Gurgaon had instructed the MCG to ban pet dogs belonging to 11 foreign breeds like Rottweiler, Pit Bull, etc.
A senior MCG official, who did not wish to be identified, said that per the bye-laws of the Haryana Municipal Corporation Act, 1994, in case of an attack, the dog is liable to be taken away and kept in a shelter till the penalty is paid and registration completed.
Pet parents worried
Following the issuance of all these rules, pet parents are a worried lot.
Utkarsha Dixit, a resident of sector 46 in Gurugram, wonders if her Golden Retriever will be forcibly taken away by the civic authorities.
“I recently moved to Gurugram and I have not yet registered my dog with the civic authorities here. But it is registered with the Kennel Club of India (KCI) and also with the Lucknow Municipal Corporation,” Dixit said.
Atul Kapoor, President, Omaxe Twin Towers, Noida, said that it was not an issue of dog lovers versus others, but it was about minimising risk, which cannot be done by issuing arbitrary guidelines.
In Bengaluru, this issue came to the fore recently when residents of Sobha Lifestyle relocated about 30 stray dogs living inside the society.
Watchdogs intervene
These incidents have highlighted the poor implementation and awareness of pet rules across India, as also grey areas in policies regarding pets.
Several laws, including the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (PCA), 1960, and Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2001, protect stray and pet dogs, and prevent their relocation to other places.
Under Section 9 (k) of the PCA, it is illegal for housing societies to pass bye-laws disallowing pets, even if the majority of residents of the society vote for it.
On December 7, the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), the topmost animal welfare body, issued an advisory.
It said, "The Supreme Court has, in various orders, specifically mentioned that relocation of dogs is not permitted. The RWA also cannot deny the feeding of dogs or the creation of feeding spots. All RWAs and citizens of India are requested to not take any kind of adverse action against the feeders of dogs, nor to relocate or poison dogs, or commit other atrocities on these animals, which is against the law of the land.’’
In Karnataka, the animal husbandry department's 24X7 helpline (8277 100 200) will provide help in case of stray or pet dog related issues.
The department said it has also started sensitising the Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) of the eight zones (of B’luru or K’taka), Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs), and police inspectors about the PCA and laws on animal rights.
Activists say that apartment owners can also write to the AWBI, which responds within 24 hours and have even sent notices to several RWAs for their arbitrary rules.
Chetna Bhutani, Founder, We Are Friends With Tails, said that to register complaints against those flouting the laws, one needs to approach the police with a hard copy of the PCA or other laws or judgements on animal rights, since there is a lack of awareness about these.
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