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The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) on Friday, December 19, banned the issuance of fresh licences and renewal of existing licenses for Pit Bull and Rottweiler dog breeds within city limits, following a rise in dog attack incidents.
The decision was taken through a resolution passed at the GCC monthly council meeting on Friday and will come into effect from Saturday. With this, residents will no longer be allowed to apply for new pet licenses or renew licences for the two breeds, which the civic body has referred to as ferocious and aggressive.
“In most of these incidents, the ferocious and aggressive nature of Pit Bull or Rottweiler breeds has caused a lot of harm to the general public. Appropriate warnings have been issued to the owners of the affected dogs in this regard,” the resolution said.
According to the resolution, owners who are found to have newly purchased Pit Bull or Rottweiler dogs, or those keeping the animals without a valid license, will face a penalty of Rs 1 lakh and regular inspections will be intensified to ensure compliance with the new rule.
However, owners who currently hold valid licenses for the two breeds will be permitted to keep their dogs until the licence period expires. During this period, they must strictly follow safety norms while taking their pets outside.
The civic body has made it mandatory for such dogs to be leashed and nuzzled in public spaces, and the owners will be fined Rs 5,000 for each violation.