No city for canines: House owners still averse to pets

Majority of house owners were still not open to the idea of allowing pets while renting out homes.

AWBI officials have written to the Directors- General of Police across the State to ensure pet-friendly citizens are not harassed for keeping dogs at home. — File photo

Though the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) has issued an advisory to landlords that they cannot ‘ban’ tenants from keeping pets, the bias against pet owners continues in the city.

Sources from residents’ welfare associations (RWA) said that a majority of house owners were still not open to the idea of allowing pets while renting out homes.

“I was slapped with a warning notice for keeping a dog,” said R. Karthik, a student residing in T. Nagar. “We were given two options: to either vacate the apartment or abandon our pet. It was mental torture,” he added.

The advisory issued by the AWBI last year clearly stated that the bylaws created the RWAs disallowing pets were against law.

“Even if the majority of residential apartment owners, want to implement it, they cannot introduce any sort of ‘ban’ on the keeping of pet dogs,” said a senior official from AWBI.

Small vs. big

The guidelines further stated that house owners cannot insist that ‘small-sized’ dogs are acceptable and ‘large-sized’ dogs are not.

Also, barking cannot be cited as a valid reason for any proposed ban or restriction.

S. Parvathy, who owns a mongrel, recalled her experience when she brought it home.

“I found her injured on the street, so I took her in. The secretary of our building later gave me a hard time. He threatened to kill my dog if I didn’t give her away,” she claimed.

However, Ms. Parvathy stood her ground and lodged a complaint with the police. “After me, many families in the building adopted pets,” she said.

AWBI officials have also written to the Directors- Generals of Police across the State to ensure pet-friendly citizens are not harassed. “Cases of harassment and cruelty towards both owners and pets will not be overlooked. In such cases owners must come forward and lodge a complaint,” said a police officer from Ashok Nagar police station.

Shravan Krishnan, an animal welfare activist, said that he regularly received calls from pet owners going through similar trouble.

“The sad part is not many are aware of the laws. Once the RWAs issue a notice it can be produced in the court. Article 51A (g) of the Constitution states that it is our moral duty to take care of animals. No bylaw is bigger than that,” he said.