Pet registration norms and Animal Birth Control Rules have come under scrutiny after the Greater Chennai Corporation recently seized 142 unregistered dogs that were housed in a single area in Andal Avenue, Velachery.
This is after Andal Avenue Welfare Association’s President Ganesh Parimelazhagan moved the Madras High Court in 2023 against Hemalatha Shanmugam, a resident of the locality who allegedly housed over 50 stray and high-breed dogs when she moved into the locality in 2022. The petition claimed the animals were allegedly continuously barked and there was stench emanating constantly around the area due to this causing disturbance.
As per a court order in November 2023, the number went beyond 90 by then. Justice M.Dhandapani of the Madras High Court in an order dated November 29, 2023, directed, “In view of the above, this Court directs the official respondents to ensure that the sixth respondent [Hemalatha] shifts all the dogs except the 10 dogs as identified by her from her residence to a far away place, within a period of eight weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. If the sixth respondent fails to shift the dogs, within the stipulated time, the official respondents shall shift all the dogs except 10 dogs as identified by the sixth respondent from her residence in the Andal Avenue area.”
City Veterinary Officer (VO) J. Kamal Hussain stated that since the sanctioned time was over, the Greater Chennai Corporation, the first respondent, took action on March 16, Saturday. “A total of 152 dogs — mostly stray dogs and a few of mixed breed — were found, of which 142 were seized with catchers and 25 were sheltered in the kennels in Animal Birth Control centre in Kannammapettai, 25 in the centre in Meenambakam and 92 in the manger area with kennels in Pulianthope.”
There are 16 dog kennels in the ABC centre in Pulianthope, 14 in Meenambakkam and eight in Kannammapettai. It is to be noted that the manger area in Pulianthope served as a space for Canine Distemper (CD) or rabies-infected dogs roughly two and a half years ago.
The VO added the place was cleaned before the dogs were brought. “None of the dogs were registered. About 50% of the dogs were not sterilised. The Blue Cross is not receiving the dogs and no NGOs have come forward for sheltering. Hence the dogs have been kept here temporarily. Awareness has been raised on registration. Yet, so far, only about 800 pets have been registered through the online portal that was launched in June 2023. A total of roughly 1,700 pets have been registered totally with the GCC,” he said.
According to Sheridan Rozario, an animal activist, these are community dogs, which are free-ranging dogs, caging them in the ABC centres is also cruelty. “For feeding and managing the animals, funds are crucial, which is not readily available with many NGOs. The Greater Chennai Corporation must have informed the HC of the number of centres, manpower, kennels, their present capacity and how many more they can house before seizing. The animals are not responsible for the mistake committed by the resident.”
Another activist Antony Rubin said that stern action must have been taken earlier against all those violating rules without registering pets. “The officials must come up with a control mechanism format to reduce the abuse and cruelty of dogs and also specify the permissible floor space-to-dog ratio for owners,” he added.
Member of Tamil Nadu Animal Welfare Board Shruti Vinodhraj said still many owners have 20-30 dogs in their premises, which can be a health concern for the neighbourhood and the dogs. “A circular from the Board to give guidelines for how many dogs one owner can hold and the ratio can be issued within the next thirty days,” she said.
