Pet Dogs Must Be Muzzled Now in Greater Noida’s GB Nagar

Noida: In the face of multiple fights involving dogs in the apartment complexes of Gautam Buddha Nagar, the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) has issued an advisory regarding incidents which involve dogs. The advisory details guidelines for all Apartment Owners’ Associations (AOAs), instructing them to establish designated feeding points for dogs within each apartment complex. Muzzles were also made mandatory in the process. 

The guidelines have been for strict adherence to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960 and ABC laws. District Magistrate, Manish Kumar Varma, stated that the guidelines were issued due to the rising number of dog-related incidents in the city. "Discussions were held with the authorities of the administration, AOAs, and RWAs in a meeting to address these concerns. The vaccination process is reportedly being conducted more efficiently, and it was suggested to form a committee related to dogs, comprising local authorities, AOAs, RWAs, and dog feeder members," Verma said. The district administration, along with vaccination and sterilization campaigns and birth control programs, is actively working to implement the guidelines issued by the Animal Welfare Board of India, he continued. 

In the meantime, in the neighbouring City of Ghaziabad, the Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation has announced that the pet registration fees will be raised from INR 200 to INR 1000 from April 1 onwards. The GMC also imposed a fine of INR 5000 on pet owners who fail to register their pets. The decision has been a controversial one, drawing criticism from pet parents and animal rights activists alike. Pet parents have argued that the hike itself is unnecessary and is an excessive one.