MC starts process to identify feeding spots for stray dogs

The Chandigarh Municipal Corporation has started the process to identify designated places for feeding stray dogs in the city.

Sources said the names of such places will be made public in next 15 days for seeking objections and suggestions from people.

An official of the Medical Officer Health Department said the residents will be given sufficient time to submit their suggestions.

The Chandigarh Administration had recently notified the pet and community dog bylaws. An important provision has been made in the bylaws for providing designated feeding zones for the stray dogs. Such zones will be identified in consultation with Residents Welfare Associations. It will also be ensured that no littering takes places at the feeding spots. The people will be challaned if the feeding places are littered. The provision has been made in consonance with the recent directives of the Supreme Court.

Residents complaint that there is no check on those who feed the stray dogs in markets and sectors. Sandeep Gupta, a resident of Sector 37, who has been attacked by dogs twice, said there should not be further delay in identifying the designated feeding places. There are some who are still feeding stray dogs in the open in residential areas, he added. Despite complaints from local residents, no concrete action has been taken against those who are feeding the stray dogs in the sector. He suggested the creation of separate dog pounds for animal lovers. Gupta said the Supreme Court, in the recent order, had held it illegal to feed stray dogs on the streets and in public places.

The court had directed that stray dogs must be fed only in the dedicated feeding spaces to be created in each municipal ward by the authorities.

Besides identifying the feeding spots, the MC will stop registration of aggressive dog breeds — American Bulldog, American Pitbull, Bull Terrier, Cane Corso, Dogo Argentino and Rottweiler — from next month.

The MC has also started the process to update the registration form to include all changes made in the revised bylaws. The UT has notified the revised dog bylaws on October 30.

The persons found violating provision of the bylaws will have to face penalty from Rs 500 to Rs 10, 000. For the first time, it has also been decided to add penalty charges for the different violations of the dog bylaws in the water and property tax bills. The number of the dogs have also been fixed in new bylaws as per the size of the house. The bylaws have also incorporated directives from the SCs August ruling on stray dog management.