Kerala:
If you have a dog and have plans of moving to the Muvattupuzha municipality in Kerala's Ernakulam District, you will now have to fill out a form, deposit Rs 300 with a picture of your canine friend and get a licence. The local body has made these licences mandatory, in a bid to curb an increasing number of dog bites.
The Kerala government came under fire from activists last week over its drive to cull street dogs. With government data showing that about 70 per cent of the 1.6 lakh dog bites are from abandoned pet dogs, the local body's decision, made on July 28, to issue licences is aimed at holding the owners accountable.
Babu, chairman of the Muvattupuzha municipal council, says, "We have had an incident where one dog has even bitten 30 times. Majority of the problems arise from abandoned pet dogs whose owners who disown after they discover issues with their dog. While street dogs will be vaccinated, licence for owning pet dogs will be made compulsory."
The municipality claims there have been 30 cases of dog bites in the last two months.
Anil Kumar, a resident of the muncipality, was bitten by a pet dog last month. The entire village had to get the owner to pay for his medical expenses. "I was bitten terribly, the dog wasn't leaving me. I had to eventually press him by his neck down to get myself off his grip. The owner had the courage to ask for his dog back, but did not even offer help to me," he says.
The licence is also welcomed by dog owners. "This is a welcome step. This will ensure that the dogs are taken care of responsibly," says Mathew K John, a dog owner.