Better to be safe, say pet owners

Panicked that their animals may be left abandoned after the BBMP’s new pet regulations, owners are rushing to leave their canine friends at the animal shelters.

The new rules mandating a licence for the dogs and restricting the number of animals in houses and apartments has been facing stiff resistance from owners and activists alike,
but pet owners do not completely trust the civic body to drop the idea.

Shelter homes in the city are now flooded with healthier dogs that are less than five years old. “People usually give away animals that are old or ailing,” an employee of a leading animal shelter in the city told DH.

“For the past 15 days, however, the number of pet owners turning up at our centres has increased. They give lame excuses to leave their pets behind. Recently though, one of the pet owners opened up and said he’s afraid of the new pet rules, expected to be passed by the BBMP,” the employee
said.

Thanks to furious objections from owners and activists alike, the civic body is unlikely to approve the rules. But pet owners do not want to take a chance.

“I don’t have an option,” said Ranjit, who gave away his pet. “I want to ensure my pet’s safety once the rule is passed. It’d be tough, but we’ll get used to life without the animals around. At least here, I can visit him till his last breath.”

He is also afraid that he would not find a place for his pet once the rules are passed and animal shelters get overcrowded. “We can’t trust the civic body. Once they set their mind on something, they’d do it, irrespective of the consequences,” Ranjit said.