HYDERABAD: Dog owners found to be letting their pet dogs defecate or relieve in public places will be penalised in the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) across the state.
The Commissioner and Director of Municipal Administration (CDMA), Telangana has issued a circular to the Municipal Commissioners mostly within the Outer Ring Road (ORR) limits (except GHMC) to implement the instructions without fail.
The initiative is to catch those who let their dogs defecate and impose fine on them up to a few hundred rupees if they do not clear the dog’s poop while walking them in public places such as roads, walking tracks, parks, and footpaths.
The dog owners should be held responsible for their dogs’ litter. Besides, there is the public health hazard of leaving their excreta to remain on the streets and it is also an inconvenience to those who use the public places.
Imposing fines on those who let their dogs litter roads is in force in major cities including Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Pune, Indore, and Nagpur. The fine for letting dogs litter could as high as Rs 500 if they do not clean up the poop.
The dog owners who take a licence from the civic bodies should also adhere to sanitation norms and letting their dogs to defecate openly is not allowed, civic officials said.
They said that citizens have been complaining about hygiene issues caused by not cleaning up after open defecation by the dogs.
Citizens who go for walks have been complaining to many of the ULBs in the city for action on the issue. It is the responsibility of dog owners to maintain public hygiene. Rules mandate that pet owners must scoop the poop and dispose it off in an acceptable manner but most refuse.
The intention is to deter dog walkers from allowing pets to use public places as their toilets. In some cities. if the pet owners fail to pay the fine, it would be added to their property tax, the civic officials said.