Now, woofy can’t be banned!

Many pet owners have had a tough time to fit into some of the communities as RWAs and Apartment Owners’ Associations have banned or restricted the movement of pets, especially dogs.  The new guidelines of the State and Central rules, amended from August 24, 2020, has come as a huge relief for this community.

These guidelines for RWAs/AOAs states that these committees cannot legally introduce any sort of ban on keeping pet dogs, including imposing a charge for keeping one, nor can they restrict man’s best friend from using elevators.

Of course, there are guidelines for pet owners too. Among them, it states that the owner should ensure the pet(s) is on leash when outdoors or in common areas, else the owner will be penalised. Also, the pet parent should take responsibility to clean-up after the pet(s) defecate in common areas as well as on lawns, public places, streets, parks or even outside someone’s house.

“This is a huge relief and legal requirement that we all welcome. We are ready to clean up the place where our pet has defecated. In perspective, the BBMP should also have more designated areas to exercise pets within parks and think of installing dustbins to dispose poop. This can also ensure a clean neighbourhood,” says Deepika Patel, a proud pet owner and a resident of a Hebbal-Kempapura apartment.

“This is exciting news,” says 9-yer-old Chintoo who has been badgering his parents for a “Vodafone” dog as his pet while his parents were told the AOA has banned some breed of dogs. “We have been telling them we want to present a pug on my son’s birthday, but the association members though sympathetic, say if we allow one person, many more will ask. Their attitude is a real put off but now nobody can stop us,” says Vijay, Chintoo’s dad.

There is also a huge round of cheers gong around for animal lovers as guidelines from AWBI have recognised those who feed strays. They now have legal backing as AWBI has recognised feeding of stray dogs as a social service. Harassing and threatening those who feed and care for them is a violation of laws, which even the BBMP and Bengaluru City Police have been emphasising, especially during the recent rounds of lockdown.

“Dogs have been closely associated with humans dating back to millenniums. It should be in our best interest to protect them, and the least is not to harm them or treat them as a tool of commerce”, says Sujaya Jagadish, an animal welfare person who manages an NGO, SOACT.

Talking about the Indian breed of dogs (mostly street dogs), and how they belong in our society, Sujaya says that these dogs also have the liberty as much as we do to live in a particular neighbourhood. BBMP has to create more awareness to the public on how to co-live with dogs in a neighbourhood, she adds.