When Alpheus Danson and his wife wanted to shift their home, their first concern was for their 3-year-old female Labrador retriever Nelia. Many homes they considered did not allow pets, while others did not have enough space for her to run around.
“In our previous home, we had to tie Nelia outside as the landlord feared she would damage the floor,” Mr. Danson says. This is just one of the problems faced by dog lovers in a city considered not very pet-friendly.
In apartments, the situation becomes more complicated. “I had a male Beagle named Puppy and other flat owners and tenants were not happy about it. When Puppy fell sick, it took a few visits to the vet before we realised someone was poisoning him,” recalls R. Venkatesan, of Virugambakkam. “Puppy died four years ago and I decided not to get another dog,” he adds.
“There is barely any space for the dogs to exercise, unless it is within their own compound,” says Arjun Agrawal, who used to breed dogs in the city.
Mr. Danson says he finds it tough to take his dogs for a walk. “There are some community dogs that turn violent at the sight of pets,” he says.
A.P. Nambi, a veterinarian, says people need to be educated before they get a pet. “Most people buy large dogs like Labrador and Great Danes, but house them in tiny apartments. They also do not understand that dogs need exercise and proper nutrition. As a result, the dogs, the families and the neighbours are all unhappy,” he explains.
“A good veterinarian should be able to advise people on the kind of pets to adopt to suit their homes and lifestyles,” he says. “Dogs are not allowed in parks since most owners leave dog excreta lying around,” Dr. Nambi adds.
Unless there is cooperation from the government, pet owners and rest of civil society, it will take a while for Chennai to entirely open its arms to man’s best friend.