Open House: What steps should Chandigarh MC take to implement THE dog bylaws strictly?

Set up dog parks, animal pounds

The MC should establish animal shelters with proper care and facilities, implement sterilisation and vaccination programmes. The goal is to balance human and animal well-being. Innovative solutions like animal pounds or dog parks can help address the issue. It must be understood that animals have the right to live.

Capt Amar Jeet (retd), Kharar

Promote responsible pet ownership

The Chandigarh Municipal Corporation has framed good dog bylaws, but their implementation remains weak. To improve the situation, awareness drives should be held in residential areas and schools to promote responsible pet ownership. The MC should regularly conduct sterilisation and vaccination drives for stray dogs and respond quickly to public complaints.

Vineet Gandhi, Manimajra

Release toll-free number for public

The MC has notified the Pet and Community Dogs Bylaws, 2025, to regulate pet ownership, community dog care and public safety. Citizens can contribute by registering their pets and reporting concerns to the authorities. A toll free number for the public may be announced.

Kirpal Singh, Chandigarh

Publicise dos & don’ts of pet ownership

Many people treat dog bylaws casually, unaware of the risks to both public health and their own legal standing. To address the issue, the Municipal Corporation must regularly issue public notices outlining the key dos and don’ts of dog ownership to prevent owners from becoming vulnerable to financial stress.

Narinder Banwait, Chandigarh

Address stray dog menace

The MC must draw a time frame to get rid of the problem of stray animals in accordance with laws. All stray dogs should be sterilised and shifted to dog shelters. Dog lovers can feed canines at shelter homes, which will be set up by the MC.

Col TBS Bedi, Mohali

MC must adhere to court orders

The Chandigarh Municipal Corporation is not implementing dog bylaws strictly, resulting in a rise in dog bite cases. While everyone loves dogs, human safety should take precedence. The MC must adhere to court orders and take stringent action.

Opinder Kaur Sekhon, Chandigarh

Devote more resources

Though the stray dog population has declined, dog bite cases are quite common; averaging 12 cases daily in Chandigarh alone. The strays should be kept at the dog centres. The centres in Sectors 19 and 22 sometimes, though rarely, are left with no stocks of anti-rabies vaccine. The MC should devote more resources for this.

NPS Sohal, Chandigarh

Pet owners must follow bylaws

The dog owners should follow the restrictions imposed under the bylaws to protect others from dog bites and to keep the city clean. The MC should make all efforts to implement the latest restrictions on pet dogs.

Wg Cdr JS Minhas (retd), Mohali

Incentivise stray dog adoption

To ensure public safety, a six-month action plan should be launched to identify areas with large population of stray dogs. Residents may be encouraged to adopt dogs by offering incentives such as licence fee waiver, free vaccination and parking concessions. Non-adoptable dogs should be shifted to well-managed shelters. Neighbouring cities like Mohali and Panchkula can also be involved.

Vijay Katyal, Panchkula

Enforce mandatory pet registration

The implementation of the dog bylaws remains inconsistent. While responsible pet owners follow rules regarding registration, vaccination, and leashing, many ignore them without facing penalties. To ensure human safety and civic responsibility, the MC must enforce registration of pets, impose fines for violations and conduct regular awareness drives on responsible pet ownership. Stray dog sterilisation and vaccination programmes should be intensified, and public grievance redressal systems be made more responsive.

Harinder Singh Bhalla, Chandigarh

Hold awareness programmes

To ensure human safety and civic responsibility, the MC should strengthen the enforcement of the dog bylaws through regular inspections, digital pet registration systems and stricter penalties for violations. Public awareness campaigns about responsible pet ownership, vaccination and sterilisation should be conducted at the community level. Additionally, establishing designated dog parks and awareness workshops can promote harmony between pet owners and public.

Dr Krishan Kumar, Chandigarh

Provide free anti-rabies vaccine

Shelters should to set up for stray dogs and a qualified Vets should be deployed there. The anti-rabies vaccines should be provided free of charge to the dog bite victims . The morning and evening walkers should to carry a stick to deter the canines . Above all , it is the moral responsibility of the Administration to make public spaces safer for the citizens .

Yash Khetarpal, Panchkula

Set up Designated feeding spots

The population of stray dogs can be checked through sterilisation drives, regular vaccination and proper shelters. Pet owners must also follow rules by keeping their dogs on leash in public, ensuring cleanliness and registering their pets. The MC should spread awareness about responsible pet ownership and set penalties for those who violate the bylaws. Additionally, there should be designated feeding points for stray dogs to avoid conflict.

Sukhman Kaur, Mohali

Enforce dog bylaws strictly

Strict registration and microchipping of all pet dogs should be ensured, with heavy penalties for non-compliance. Dedicated teams must monitor irresponsible owners, enforce leash and muzzle rules in public spaces and fine violators. A transparent system for sterilisation, vaccination and feeding of community dogs must be strengthened with NGO partnerships, clear zoning and regular audits.

Gaganpreet Singh, Mohali

Penalise owners for non-compliance

To ensure human safety and promote civic responsibility, a multi-pronged and zero-tolerance approach is essential. The MC must launch a rigorous, data-driven enforcement drive with penalty for non-compliance, particularly for unleashed dogs in public spaces and improper waste management that attracts strays. For street dogs, an accelerated, large-scale Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme is the only humane, effective and long-term solution.

Gurdev Singh, Mohali

Set up animal control squads

The MC must ensure mandatory sterilisation and vaccination of dogs by keeping proper record. Violators must be penalised and public awareness campaigns be launched to promote responsible pet ownership. Dedicated animal control squads must respond swiftly to complaints, while coordination with NGOs can help manage stray dog population.

Sanjay Chopra, Mohali

Check population of stray dogs

The authorities should come out with a concrete proposal to check the stray dog menace and implement the same in toto. The number of stray dogs is increasing and so are the dog bite cases. People feed the stray dogs inside the residential complexes or on streets with impunity. It seems there is no authority in place to address this problem.

KC Rana, Chandigarh

Balance animal rights with public safety

The MC should adopt a long-term policy to address the population of stray dogs. Increase capacity by building new dog shelters and periodically undertake ABC programme to support sterilisation and vaccination drives, especially in high-density areas. The public should be made aware of responsible pet ownership and volunteers should be encouraged to assist in dog shelter operations. Strengthening laws to prohibit animal cruelty and designating public feeding spots for community dogs can effectively balance animal rights with public safety in the city.

Vaibhav Goyal, Chandigarh

Sterilise stray dogs, set up shelters

The Chandigarh MC has failed to implement the dog bylaws strictly. Population of stray dogs has been increasing rapidly for a long time now. Shelters should be set up for the stray dogs. Public should be motivated to adopt stray dogs as pets. Stray dogs should be sterilised and marked after sterilisation.

Sumesh Kumar Badhwar, Mohali

Establish dog parks, waste bins

Improper enforcement of the dog bylaws and lack of public awareness have led to increasing complaints of stray dog attacks and hygiene issues. Heavy fines and periodic inspections can serve as deterrents for negligent pet owners. At the same time, educational campaigns promoting responsible pet ownership should be conducted in collaboration with local communities and schools. Establishing dog parks and waste bins in residential areas will also help create cleaner surroundings.

Dr Kumud Sachdeva, Dera Bassi

MC needs big shelter for dogs

Stray dogs should be removed from all institutions and public places. The dogs must not be released back into the same area from where they are picked up. The Chandigarh MC presently has no big shelter for the strays, even as the city witnesses a large number of dog bite cases every day. Dog bite incidents are not merely a public health issue but a serious matter of human safety and civic responsibility. Above all, coordination among all departments concerned and public is required.

Sagar, Panchkula

Conduct Survey on dog registration

The civic body should set up an online portal where people can share photographs of non-compliance of the bylaws by pet owners and air their grievances. A door-to-door survey can be carried out to check the number of dogs in residential areas and their registration. CCTVs should be installed to monitor defecation by dogs in public places and the footage can be used to penalise irresponsible owners.

Abhilasha Gupta, Mohali

Set up special parks for pets

There is a need to strike a balance between the human and animal life by mitigating conflicts. In some countries, there are special parks for dogs to play as they also need physical activity for their mental and physical well-being. These species are of great help to humans. If administration can create a separate corner of a few metres in some parks for animals to play, it will of great help to pet lovers. Moreover, cases of dog bite and brawls may also come down.

Charu Malhotra, Mohali

Adopt local breeds of dogs

The civic authorities, in collaboration with NGOs, must create dog shelters in the city and deploy caretakers and vets, besides making proper feeding arrangements. There should be aggressive sterilisation before stray dogs are rehabilitated. Dog lovers should be motivated to adopt local breeds and RWAs must impress upon residents not to feed dogs within the residential areas or on streets. The MC must also ensure availability of anti-rabies vaccine in government dispensaries so a dog bite victim could get timely treatment.

SS Arora, Mohali

Implement dog bylaws strictly

While the dog bylaws appear strict on the paper, their implementation remains weak on the ground. Without proper monitoring and enforcement, regulations lose their effectiveness. The authorities must focus on awareness and incentives rather than penalties. Special benefits, such as subsidised medication, vaccination support and proper burial facilities could encourage responsible pet ownership. The authorities must also ensure regular vaccination of stray dogs, especially in areas where they are being fed by residents.

Avinash Goyal, Chandigarh

Comment

Chandigarh MC needs to get its act together

The Chandigarh Municipal Corporation still needs to put in a lot of hard work and willpower to show that it is serious in implementing the new dog bylaws. A lax dog sterilisation programme is one of the most important indicator of the civic body's lack of resolve. The first step would be make sure that all pet dogs over four months old are registered with the MC. A comprehensive plan to address the issue of stray dog menace by involving NGOs, dog lovers and RWAs and assigning them active role would go a long way in helping curb dog bite cases. They can also help in identifying the designated feeding zones for community dogs. Violations, such as littering, defecating in public or keeping unregistered dogs must be dealt strictly and aggressively.

Question for next week

Do you think the Panjab University and UT Police could have handled the student protest in a better way?

Suggestions in not more than 150 words with can be sent to openhouse @tribunemail.com by Thursday (November 27)