Own a pet cat! Pune civic body has appealed owners to get their pets registered

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) have appealed to all cat owners to get their pets registered with the civic authorities. Till now, only dog owners were supposed to get their pets registered with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).

While speaking to news agency PTI, Dr Ashish Bharti, Health Chief of PMC said, "Like dogs owners, people owning cats will have to get their pets registered with the PMC. They have to follow norms regarding vaccination and birth control of their pets."

Dr Bharti had also told ANI that registration of pet animals like dogs & horses is already necessary but cats too need to be registered now as their population is increasing. 

As per Dr Bharti, earlier people had to approach ward offices to get their pets registered, but now the civic body has provided the facility on its website and the registration can be done at ₹50 per pet. He added that the prior to the registration, pets have to be vaccinated.

Speaking of registration of pet dogs, he said that currently 5,500 dogs have been registered with the PMC which is very less. 

If a complaint is received about an unregistered pet, the PMC issues a notice to the owner and ask them to register the animal, the official said. As per the PMC websie, to register your pets, the documents required for registration are as follows: the passport size 3 photograph of pet animal, antirabies certificate from a registered veterinary practitioner, address proof, the registration charges of ₹500 will be accepted in advance @ Rs. 50 per year for a period of 10 years. However, it is necessary to make registration every year in ward office, the registration charges of Rs. 250 will be accepted in advance Rs.50 per year after the expiry of previous 10 years of registration.

As per Hindustan Times report, Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal (PCMC) commissioner Shekhar Singh has also issued an order requesting residents to register their pet dogs and cats.

Earlier in September, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) had urged the citizens to get their pet dogs registered in view of increasing dog bite incidents. Under Section 399 of the Delhi Municipal Act 1957, it had mandated to register all pet dogs with the municipal corporation. The section had also given power to the MCD to detain a dog found in a public place if a pet dog is not registered with the civic body.

(With inputs from agencies)