Ahmedabad: In the wake of the incident where a rottweiler caused the death of an infant, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has proposed comprehensive new regulations for pet dog ownership that significantly tighten control over how residents can keep and manage their canine companions. The draft rules, which represent the most stringent pet ownership guidelines in the city so far, place full liability on owners for any incidents while establishing clear protocols for everything from public walks to cleaning up after pets. At the core of the draft protocols, which exclude community dogs, is safety.The proposed "terms and conditions" for any pet dog kept by a person within their facility stipulate that "owners are now solely liable for any loss, damage, or injury caused by a registered dog to any person or to their property". A key point is the requirement for owners to "compensate victims if a dog bites or causes any other harm to a person or their property".

AMC has explicitly stated in the draft rules as not being responsible for such incidents.Beyond liability, owners must ensure their dog is always kept under control to prevent it from intimidating, annoying, hurting, or biting anyone. Taking a dog outdoors will require it to be chained or leashed. "Ferocious dogs must additionally be muzzled, and the accompanying person should carry a stick," the rules propose. Maintaining public hygiene is also a critical component of the new rules.

"Owners are not allowed to permit their dogs to defecate in public places such as residential areas, green belts, parks, streets, roads, and other common places," the rules state.

If a dog does so, "the owner is responsible for removing the excreta themselves". Owners should take their dogs to isolated areas not frequented by the public for defecation and must not allow them to defecate near others' residences, states one of the draft rules.They prohibit commercial breeding or trading of dogs within AMC limits. Violation will result in penalty and the dogs being impounded. According to the proposed rules, owners must also ensure their dogs have proper space, accommodation, food, and get the needed medical treatment. "Allowing inspection of premises and the dog by authorised civic officials at reasonable times is also required. Finally, a pet dog's registration is non-transferable; a change of ownership necessitates the new owner applying for fresh registration. "Vaccination against rabies is mandatory, requiring the dog to be vaccinated by a govt veterinary practitioner or one registered with the Veterinary Council of India (VCI) or the State Veterinary Council (SVC)," said a senior AMC official, adding, "Owners must furnish the vaccination certificate upon demand during inspection by the registration authority or authorized municipal corporation officials, failing which registration may be cancelled.

"