Pricey paws: Pet parents express concern over apartment’s hefty registration fee

Apartments should not become places of cruelty for animals. Discussions should be held with the community of pet parents before arriving at any conclusion such as a penalty amount. Regardless, levying a fee is simply wrong, said an activist.

Bengaluru: Once revered as a city that embraces the companionship of furry friends, Bengaluru’s amicable tag of being pet-friendly seems to be fraying at the edges.

The news of a resident welfare association in an apartment charging Rs 10,000 as a ‘refundable pet registration fee’ has drawn flak from apartment owners, activists, and animal welfare workers in the city, who called it “illegal” and stemming from a “lack of awareness.”

Shivani, an animal welfare worker in the city, pointed out that such an order came from a lack of awareness about animal rights and BBMP’s guidelines.

“It is true that pet owners must also take responsibility to ensure the safety of people when their pets are out in public but often, such association orders come from a place of intolerance and hatred, which can then extend to other people or things,” she said.

She suggested the possibility of conducting awareness sessions to sensitise people towards pets, especially pet dogs, to ensure such rules are not enforced anywhere. “Even if an illegal fee like this is enforced, there should be facilities introduced for pets. Otherwise, this makes no sense.”

The email sent out by the apartment showed specific timings that pets were allowed in common areas and a Rs 100 per day penalty if pet owners failed to register by November 15. “Apartments should not become places of cruelty for animals. Discussions should be held with the community of pet parents before arriving at any conclusion such as a penalty amount. Regardless, levying a fee is simply wrong,” said Ravi Narayanan, animal rights activist, who also recalled an instance where an apartment complex had put up mesh covers which led to the deaths of many birds that were trapped.

Vishnu Gattupalli, secretary of Bangalore Apartments’ Federation, clarified that none of the federation’s over 1,200 member apartments had introduced such a fee. “We have a pet policy as per BBMP’s guidelines, which includes ensuring pets are on a leash in common areas, are vaccinated, and are cleaned up after they poop, but nothing allows a registration fee for owning pets,” he said.

A former chief veterinary officer of the BBMP explained that dog owners could apply for a BBMP dog licence if they wished, with an initial fee of Rs 110 and an annual renewal fee of Rs 100.

“However, this is not mandated by law. Even if it were, it wouldn’t possibly be in the thousands, certainly not Rs 10,000. This fee charge for having pets is purely illegal,” the officer said.