Chennai Corporation Eases Dog-Ownership Rules

Chennai: The Greater Chennai Corporation has officially relaxed its pet-dog regulations, offering relief to owners across the city. The civic body clarified before the Madras High Court (MHC) that certain earlier requirements, including mandatory muzzling in public and a cap on how many pets a person may own, are no longer enforceable. 

Under the revised norms: 

• Muzzles for pet dogs in public places are now only advisory, not mandatory; however, keeping dogs on a leash remains compulsory. 
• Limits on the number of pets per household have been removed. 
• The deadline for obtaining a pet licence has been extended till December 7, 2025 and may be further extended if needed, giving owners more time to register their pets. 
• GCC also clarified that microchipping, previously made mandatory for all pet dogs for licensing, remains a one-time requirement and will not be repeated annually. 

The move comes amid criticism over earlier strict measures, including fines and perceived impracticalities for pet owners and animal-welfare groups. The civic body responded to a petition by an NGO challenging the earlier muzzling and can rules, saying the portal’s earlier limit of four pets per user was a “technical glitch” that has now been resolved. 

The relaxing of rules is expected to ease compliance burdens on pet owners, many of whom had faced difficulty due to limited slots, insufficient clarity, and lack of resources. With microchipping, vaccination and licensing now streamlined under GCC’s updated digital pet-management platform, pet owners should find the process easier going ahead. 

While the revised norms remove some restrictions, GCC continues to emphasise responsible pet ownership: dogs must be leashed in public, and pet licence and valid anti-rabies vaccination remain mandatory as part of the city’s broader strategy to monitor pets and prevent abandonment or stray-dog problems.