Rs 10K Fine for Dog Owners in Bhubaneswar If Their Pet Bites Anyone

Bhubaneswar: Dog owners in Bhubaneswar will have to pay up hefty fine worth Rs 10,000 for incidents of dog bites. The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has come up with strict laws in this regard.

The draft bye-laws for the purpose have been approved by the civic body and it has been forwarded to the Housing and Urban Development department for approval.

As per the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (Registration and Proper Control of Dogs) Bye-Laws 2023, an owner of a dog who violates these bye-laws shall be liable to be punished by Registration Authority with a fine, which may extend to Rs. 10,000.

As per the norms, a person must not keep a dog that is older than four months unless such a person acquired an annual registration for the dog and has paid the annual registration fee. The owner of the dog is required to pay Rs. 500 for registration of the dog with the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation. A person keeping stray dogs will be exempted from paying the registration fee.

On registration, the owner shall be supplied by the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation with a metal token/ tag/ chip having name and address of the owner engraved on it and the owner shall cause the dog to wear it at all times a collar with the metal token/ tag/ chip.

Furthermore, the owner of the dog shall not allow the dog to defecate in public places such as residential areas, green belts, parks, streets, roads, road berms, and other common places etc.

In case the dog defecates at the above-specified places, the owner shall arrange to get the excreta of the dog removed from the said place at his/her own level. No owner shall allow the dog to defecate near the residences of other persons, his/her neighbors to his/her/their annoyance.

If an owner of a dog violates any of the conditions of these byelaws at least three times in a calendar year, the registration of the dog shall be cancelled.