Chennai's Pet Licensing Drive Sees Over 73,000 Dogs Microchipped
The Greater Chennai Corporation's veterinary department has successfully issued a total of 73,754 pet licences to date, with each licence embedding a mandatory microchip in canines for enhanced tracking and animal welfare. This initiative, which began in October and continued until mid-December, was driven by a series of alarming pet attacks in recent years, prompting the civic body to enforce stricter regulations.
Deadline and Penalties for Non-Compliance
Pet owners in Chennai were given a strict deadline of December 7 last year to microchip their pets. Following this cut-off, defaulters faced a steep penalty of 5,000 rupees. As part of the crackdown, more than 7 lakh rupees was collected from violators, with post-deadline fines alone amounting to 7.11 lakh rupees. Veterinary officer Kamal Hussain emphasized that this enforcement aims to promote responsible pet ownership and ensure public safety.
Surge in Registrations and Post-Deadline Decline
The initial licensing drive witnessed a significant registration surge, with over 70,000 licences issued and chips embedded during the period. However, Shravan Krishnan from the Besant Memorial Animal Dispensary (BMAD) noted a sharp decline post-deadline. "Pet owners rushed to our clinic before the cut-off, but numbers plummeted after the deadline. Now, we see fewer than 10 cases a week for microchipping," he said. BMAD charges 750 rupees for pedigree breeds and 500 rupees for native breeds, with a total of 1,812 chips embedded in pets until recently.
Incidents Prompting the Crackdown
The measure was spurred by multiple tragic incidents of pet attacks in the last couple of years, highlighting the urgent need for stricter controls:
- In May 2024, two rottweilers mauled a five-year-old girl and her mother in a park.
- In June 2024, rottweilers and boxers injured people in separate incidents, including a 12-year-old boy who was left seriously hurt.
- In May 2025, an IAS officer was bitten during his morning walk in Royapettah.
- In June 2025, a pit bull fatally mauled a man and turned on its owner when she intervened.
These tragedies led the civic body to tighten rules, mandating leashes, muzzles, and vaccinations for pet dogs to prevent future occurrences.
Ongoing Licensing and Free Services
Civic authorities continue to issue licences and embed microchips free of charge at seven centres across Chennai. These centres operate six days a week from Monday to Saturday, between 8 am and 3 pm, ensuring accessibility for pet owners to comply with the regulations and contribute to a safer community environment.
