Mumbai: The BMC on Thursday issued guidelines for pet owners and caregivers on feeding pets and stray animals, and for housing societies. It also said that all pet owners are mandatory to register and obtain the licences from BMC under Section 191B of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, 1888, and keeping unlicensed dogs is illegal.
The BMC has also clarified that harassing the animal feeders is a punishable offense. The guidelines come following the Supreme Court order, circulars from the Animal Welfare Board of India, and several incidents between citizens on petting and feeding the stray animals.
The detailed guidelines are available on the civic Veterinary Health Department’s website: vhd.mcgm.gov.in.
Some of the guidelines include: Feeding of street dogs and cats is legal and protected by law, feeders should do so at designated, clean spots away from children’s areas and public pathways, feeding must be hygienic and should not involve raw meat or leftover food, feeders should help with sterilisation and vaccination of the animals and feeding should be done early morning or late evenings when the public movement is low among others.
Some of the guidelines for the housing societies include: Societies cannot ban pets or decide pet size and such restrictions go against citizens’ fundamental rights, societies should not restrict feeding of street animals, but can set feeding times and locations in consultation with residents, dogs must be kept on a leash in public and pet owners must clean up after their pets when they defecate in public places among others.
