Are you a dog owner in Chennai: Head out and get your pet registered

Chennai, Aug 30: If you own a dog in Chennai and have not registered the pet then you will have to do so with the Greater Chennai Corporation. You will have to head out to the civic body's veterinary clinics to get the pooch registered for just Rs 50 as the civic body is all set to roll out its dog census soon.

Since there is an increase in the number of people getting dogs, the corporation has come up with this initiative to improve its database. The pet owners can register at the civic body's veterinary clinics located in the Tiruvika Nagar, Nungambakkam, Kannammapettai and Meenambakkam areas, J Kamala Hussain veterinary officer at the Chennai corporation said.

If your pet is registered then you can avail free vaccination at the corporation hospitals and also help to follow up on regular de-worming for dogs. Only 1,200 register annually although estimates show that there are 50,000 pet dogs. The aim is to boost this coverage, so that we can have a better network of of pets and dogs and also give them better treatment, Hussain also said.

The dogs will be given a unique pendant shaped like a coin with an ID. This would help if the pet goes missing and the owner can reach out to the nearest corporation centre. Since the dog is registered it would be easier to trace, he further added.