Chennai corporation to hold free vaccination camps for pet dogs

Chennai, Nov 8 (IANS) The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) will conduct free vaccination camps for pet dogs across the city on Sunday, November 16, and 23 as part of its renewed efforts to enforce mandatory pet licensing and promote responsible ownership.

The camps will be held at six GCC pet clinics between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. This initiative comes soon after the civic body made it compulsory for all dog owners to obtain licences and microchip their pets.

Beginning November 24, GCC health workers will start door-to-door inspections to check for compliance. If a pet dog is found unlicensed, the zonal veterinary officer will impose a penalty of Rs 5,000 on the owner.

The vaccination camps are expected to complement the mass anti-rabies drive launched by the corporation on August 9, aimed at both stray and pet dogs.

In the past three months, GCC has vaccinated around 1.13 lakh stray dogs across the city. The new phase of the campaign will now focus on pet dogs, enabling owners to vaccinate, microchip, and register their animals in one go. Despite the mandatory regulations, civic officials have noted that pet registration numbers remain below target.

The GCC had licensed around 260 pet dogs and microchipped them. In 2024, a total of 9,063 pet licences were issued, while 3,401 licences have been approved so far this year.

The GCC council recently passed a resolution, reinforcing the need for compulsory licensing and vaccination to ensure better monitoring of the canine population.

Officials said the move aims to reduce disease transmission and promote a responsible pet ownership culture among city residents.

However, several pet owners have expressed difficulty in using the GCC's online licensing portal after recent updates.

Many said they were unable to renew existing licences or upload vaccination and sterilisation details, forcing them to apply afresh.

The civic body is expected to address these issues ahead of the inspection phase later this month.

With the camps and enforcement drive scheduled to roll out simultaneously, the corporation hopes to improve vaccination coverage and ensure greater accountability among Chennai's pet owners.

--IANS

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