The initiative is part of a broader effort to create accountability among dog owners and improve the management of the city’s pet population
Digital Desk: The pet control rules set by the Shillong Municipal Board thus require dog owners to abide by the compulsory registration terms since the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) is laying more stress on the regulatory measures of pets. Under the new order, every dog that is kept as a pet in the municipal region should be registered, and a dog owner shall receive an identification tag against each dog. Registration Fee is fixed at 250 Rs per dog.
The move, which has been implemented in section 128 of the Municipal Act, is set to curb the increasing cases of stray animals and ensure the security of the population within the city. This step is attributed to a rise in the number of complaints about unrestrained pets creating a nuisance in residential and business premises.
The Chief Executive Officer of Shillong Municipal Board insisted that dog owners need to take care so that their dogs do not get set free in the streets or open grounds. Any Dogs that are found without registration tags will be considered strays, even when they are owned. There is also a possibility of such animals getting impounded, and the owner could be subject to legal action under municipal bylaws.
The initiative is taken to be one of a larger project aimed at establishing accountability of dog owners and developing control of the pet population in the city. Municipal authorities are sure that the registration system will help to better monitor animals, better control it, and so that conflicts between the native population and stray or unmonitored pets will be reduced.
Pet owners have been encouraged to ensure that they complete the registration process within the shortest time to prevent penalties or inconvenience. The stringent position of the Board underlines that it strives to preserve order in the place and guarantee responsibility in pet keeping in Shillong.
