In the wake of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagar Palike’s (BBMP) proposal to issue guidelines in taking off a whole set of breeds off the list of permitted pets and decreeing a maximum of three dogs in independent houses and one dog in apartments, is the civic body barking up the wrong tree? MetroPlus chats with Bengaluru’s pet owners on what they think of the proposed move.
Most pet owners feel instead of going up in arms against pet owners, it would have been a welcome move if the BBMP co-operated with them. Sunitha Nandan, a resident of Byapanahalli who owns three dogs, says, “Bengaluru is a dog-friendly city. And that’s an image we need to build rather than break down. While it is agreeable that this may discourage breeders from doing business with large dogs, they will now indulge in medium and small dogs. I’m sure they have already found loopholes to swim through easily. Instead of making laws more stringent on breeding and shutting down illegal breeders without licences in the city, the BBMP is only making life harder for genuine dog lovers.”
Leena Shwetha D, who lives in an independent home and has two adopted pups, points out that people have more than three dogs because they can handle them. “How many dogs I have in my house should not bother the BBMP. At the end of the day, if the owner is able to handle them, I don’t think it should be a problem.”
She adds that this is not the solution. “Instead of concentrating on pets that already have owners to take care of them, the BBMP should focus on dogs on the streets. They need more attention. If some incentive is given by the government to encourage adoption of stray dogs, that would be a better way of tackling breeding. That will be a win-win for pet lovers as well as stray dogs.”
Arpan Peter, who owns a Labrador, hopes like the BBMP’s other plans, this one too doesn’t take off. “The move smells fishy since it seems to be a decision benefitting the affluent few. It is, however, devoid of any logic. Also if you own a 700 square feet independent home, you can keep a Great Dane, but if I own a 3,000 square feet apartment, I can’t keep a Golden Retriever. What someone does in their home is not the business of the BBMP. They need to go back and re-look the plan. Once we go to court, a move like this will get quashed since they are trying to deny people their fundamental rights. It’s also biased since you can’t keep a Golden Retriever at home but there’s no mention of Labradors or Siberian Huskies.”
Arpan goes on to point out that there are at least 25,000 to 30,000 people who have dogs in apartments. “Life is already miserable for pet owners in apartments where the local association is against pets. Now they’ll use this as a tool to harass them further.” However, he adds that it’s a welcome move to license and sterilise dogs.
“That is fine. But the point is they haven’t done their part for street dogs in Bengaluru. Their sterilisation programme has never really taken off. They are not doing what they’re supposed to do and instead telling us what not to do.”
Siblings Lokesh Bob and Menaka Gia, who own not just three dogs, but also rabbits, ducks, birds, goats and other animals in their large yard, are quite upset with the proposal. “The reason we have so many pets is because we have ample open space and our neighbours don’t have a problem with it. The kids around here love coming over and playing with our dogs. I do empathise with people who own even one dog in a flat since neighbours may not be fine with it and the pet may also not have place to run around. But again, it shouldn’t be a problem anywhere as long as the owner knows how to take care of the dog and trains them well. It’s a very impractical proposal. It’s our decision and our dogs. There are more pressing issues the BBMP should take care of. They are only drawing flak for themselves,” says Menaka.
Anthony Kumar, who doesn’t have any pets at home, also contends that this is not a wise set of guidelines. “I personally don’t want dogs at home. But if the civic body was trying to curb breeding, this is a terrible plan. I believe breeders are hand in glove with the rich who like to own fancy breeds and they will always find a way to continue their illegal activities. A crackdown on their operations by authorities and joining hands with animal welfare organisations is the need of the hour.”
