SOUTH
The BBMP has sent a proposed set guidelines aimed at dog owners
If approved, dog owners will have to follow those rules
Animal activists say that BBMP is focusing on the wrong problem
They should be looking at dog breeders
Dog lovers’, you're beloved pooch just might cost you. Especially, if you happen to have a pedigree and you have more than one of them.
Talk about a double whammy from out of the blue. Well, not quite.
Blast from the Past:
The Bengaluru Bruhat Mahanagar Palike (BBMP) has decided to re-visit Section 344 Karnataka Municipal Corporation Act.
Wondering what that is? Here’s a small primer.
In 2013, the BBMP had drafted a by-law for pet dogs. According to Section344, citizens are prohibited from keeping pets and feeding animals without prior permission from the concerned authority. It also disallows owners from keeping animals that are deemed dangerous or considered to be a nuisance.
According to , “The Urban Development Department had retained the draft bye-law for quite a long time in its shelf and sent it back to the BBMP’s Animal Husbandry section two months ago with some observations. Acting up on the observations of UDD and objections raised by Animal Welfare Board, the BBMP has now re-drafted the by-laws and sent it to UDD for its approval for the second time, on February 10th, 2016.”
BBMP’s New Proposed Guidelines:
These are the proposed guidelines that have been sent for approval to the Urban Development Department by the BBMP.
Animal Activists and Illegal Dog Breeding:
Animal activists argue that the BBMP has missed the forest for the trees by ignoring the classic elephant in the room – dog breeders.
Dog breeders are a dime a dozen, and Bengaluru has emerged as the top city for illegal dog breeding activities.
The Hindu reports, “In 2016, the Compassion Unlimited Plus Action (CUPA) came out with a report after investigating 15 illegal breeding centres spread across the city. The report furnished evidence of breeding centres operating out of terraces in residential areas and small cramped rooms in busy markets. Puppies are bred in inhumane conditions and sold on popular e-commerce sites.”
“First, the BBMP needs to restrict inhumane breeding. None of the breeders have licences to operate. Officials must issue licences only to those operating as per mandated conditions,” said R. Shantha Kumar, animal welfare officer, Animal Welfare Board of India.”