Kerala civic body to make license mandatory for pet dogs

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 26: Aiming to tackle the growing stray dog menace in and around the state capital, the City Corporation is planning to make mandatory a licensing system for pet dogs within one month.

The decision was taken in view of the gruesome killing of a 65-year-old woman, who was mauled to death by a pack of stray dogs on a suburban beach at Pulluvila near here on Sunday.

Under the system, license would be made mandatory for city dwellers to buy or possess pet dogs. The canines should also be vaccinated after particular intervals as per the direction of veterinarians, corporation sources said. "It will be implemented as part of the Corporation's Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme.

The paper work in this regard has already started and the licensing system will be in place within one month," Corporation Mayor V K Prasanth told PTI.

The government would allocate funds for the ambitious programme from the People's Planning Programme, he said, adding a fee would be charged for the renewing of license annually. The Corporation also decided to strengthen its dog squads to catch stray dogs wandering on the city roads and sterilise them as part of the ABC programme.

PTI