Kerala civic body to make license mandatory for pet dogs

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 25 (PTI) Aiming to tackle thegrowing stray dog menace in and around the state capital, theCity Corporation is planning to make mandatory a licensingsystem for pet dogs within one month. The decision was taken in view of the gruesome killing ofa 65-year-old woman, who was mauled to death by a pack ofstray dogs on a suburban beach at Pulluvila near here onSunday. Under the system, license would be made mandatory for citydwellers to buy or possess pet dogs. The canines should also be vaccinated after particularintervals as per the direction of veterinarians, corporationsources said. "It will be implemented as part of the Corporation’sAnimal Birth Control (ABC) programme. The paper work in thisregard has already started and the licensing system will be inplace within one month," Corporation Mayor V K Prasanth toldPTI. The government would allocate funds for the ambitiousprogramme from the People’s Planning Programme, he said,adding a fee would be charged for the renewing of licenseannually. The Corporation also decided to strengthen its dog squadsto catch stray dogs wandering on the city roads and sterilisethem as part of the ABC programme. PTI LGK APRMRJ