Shillong, Nov 9: The Shillong Municipal Board’s (SMB) order for Shillong residents to register their pet dog is a welcome announcement, however, much is desired from the board to control the menace of stray dogs.
The SMB recently in its notification said that “under section 128 of the Meghalaya Municipal (MM) Act all residents within the Shillong Municipal area are required to register their pet dogs with the SMB and to obtain dog tags on payment of fees of Rs. 250”.
The SMB cautioned that all pet owners are to ensure that their dogs are not straying in public places or roads. “Dogs found without tags will be treated as strays and necessary action will be taken against the owner as per provision of the MM Act as per Municipal Act,” the Chief Executive Officer of the Board notified.
Despite this order, the SMB has not been clear on several issues relating to pets in the state capital. One of the most disgusting attitudes of some of these pet owners is letting their pets defecate on the streets.
In fact some of these pet owners take their “dogs for a walk” so that they can defecate in public places far away from their place of stay. The SMB has not taken any action on this unhygienic practice.
In most western nations there are Pooper Scooper laws. Under these laws, pet owners must clean up if their pet defecates in public places. Moreover, these faecal wastes have to be disposed of in a proper manner in a waste bin.
Pet owners must keep their dogs under leash when in public spaces. Violation of these laws can attract hefty fines in most western nations, unlike here.
Moreover, there are hundreds of stray dogs on the streets and pose serious danger to the people, especially joggers in the morning. “There are plenty of dogs on the street and some just can’t be trusted so I carry a stick,” an old lady who goes for regular morning walks said.
Recently, a nurse was bitten by a stray dog and later it was found that the stray was infected with rabies. The nurse unfortunately died of rabies. It’s not clear if the SMB conducts Anti-Rabies vaccination of the stray dogs or implements Animal Birth Control plans.
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