Pet owners in Ludhiana’s bypass registration, civic responsibility

In a city where pet salons, clinics and boutique stores flourish, Ludhiana’s love for dogs is unmistakable. But beneath the surface of this booming pet culture lies a glaring civic gap — only 3,321 pet dogs have been registered with the Municipal Corporation (MC) over the past five years. The numbers are startlingly low for a city known to pamper its pets, raising concerns about public safety and responsible ownership.

The issue has gained urgency in light of recent stray dog attacks across India, including a horrific incident in Kanpur, where a college student sustained deep facial injuries and required 17 stitches after being mauled by stray dogs. As the Supreme Court revises its guidelines on sterilisation and feeding zones for strays, urban centres like Ludhiana are being urged to tighten their pet management system.

Ludhiana MC had launched its pet registration programme in June 2020, offering a brass token and unique ID code for each registered pet. The process is simple — owners can register online on mcludhiana.gov.in, upload vaccination proof and pet photos and collect the token from the veterinary branch of the MC. The Rs 500 annual fee is modest, and renewal is mandatory every April.

Despite these conveniences, civic officials admit that most pet owners have not complied with the directions. While the first year saw over 2,000 registrations, very few returned for renewals.

MC Commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal has now issued a fresh appeal, urging residents to get their pets registered not just for identification, but as a civic duty. “It’s for the welfare of the pets and the safety of the public,” he said, warning that penalties would soon be imposed on defaulters.

The MC had earlier attempted an outreach programme through GADVASU and proposed kiosks at the city’s dog park — an idea that fizzled out along with the park itself. Even bylaws passed in 2019 to regulate pet ownership and control stray animals have seen poor implementation. Officials cite manpower shortage and lack of public awareness as key hurdles.

The irony is hard to miss: Ludhianvis spend generously on grooming and accessories, yet hesitate to take the one step that ensures accountability. With rising cases of dog bites and civic pressure mounting, pet registration is no longer just a formality — it’s a public safety imperative.

“We see people treating their dogs like family — dressing them up, taking them to salons — but when it comes to basic civic responsibility like registration, most just ignore it. If you’re keeping a pet in the city, you should be accountable for it,” said Nidhi Bhardwaj, a local resident and animal welfare volunteer.