Bengaluru: Dog lovers smiling! Controversial law withdrawn

BENGALURU: After facing public ire, and judicial intervention through PIL against the controversial notification regarding pet licensing, the State government on Thursday submitted before the Karnataka High Court that the BBMP has withdrawn the notification. It informed the court that it has withdrawn the impugned notification regarding pet licensing after BBMP received requests from animal lovers and pet owners in the city. The state also submitted that the law will be re-examined after taking suggestions from all concerned.

Following the submission, the High Court disposed the case and asked the petitioner to suggest measures to curb the larger issue of regulation. Expressing concern over the controversial notification, a Bengaluru resident, Indira Gopalakrishna had filed the PIL. According to the notification which has now been withdrawn, only one approved dog was to be reared in a flat while an independent house could not have more than three dogs as pets.

The pet licensing also mandated owners to get a license consisting of a radio collar with an embedded chip. A pet parent had to pay a fine of Rs 1,000 if the dog has no licence. The PIL contended that pet owners with more than one dog in case of an apartment and more than three dogs in an independent dwelling would be forced to abandon their dogs on the street and face other hardships if the Palike’s new rule was followed. The PIL further alleged that it provided a list of breeds that are approved for residential flats, and further led to prompting auction of dogs which will be a boon to illegal breeders who can purchase the dogs and exploit them for profit.