BMC to put pet licence process online

Getting a licence for your pet is about to get easier, with the civic body planning to put the entire process online.

Getting a licence for your pet is about to get easier, with the civic body planning to put the entire process online.

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Currently, getting a pet licence is a cumbersome process as there are very few pet licensing officers. Officials say that’s why most people avoid getting a licence for their pets.

According a Right to Information petition filed by activist Vilas Durve, there are 27,147 pet dogs in the city, but only 7,652 of them have a licence. This has resulted in a loss of over Rs 5 crore to the civic body over the past five years.

"To boost the registration process, we will make the process completely online in a month's time. The BMC website will have all the necessary forms needed to get the licence," said executive health officer, G T Ambe.

According to officials, sterilisation and vaccination cannot be ensured in the absence of suitable data.

BMC records show that nearly 25 per cent of dog bites in the city are by pets.

As a licence is given only to those already vaccinated, it is seen as a way to check rabies as well. Section 191 (A) of the BMC Act, makes it mandatory for owners of pet dogs to obtain a licence.

The BMC charges Rs 100 per year of a dog's life for a first-time licence.

This means the owner of a seven-year-old dog pays Rs 700 for a licence and Rs 100 every year after that for renewal. In addition, owners must also pay a one-time fee of Rs 150 for the licence book.