Mangaluru: All pet dogs in Mangaluru city must have a license, if your dog does not have one, then apply with Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) for a permit/license for the canine. With the dog welfare committee of the civic body making licensing of pet dogs mandatory at its meeting held on February 10, owners will now compulsorily have to obtain one. While the license for the first year (FY 2017-18) is free, owners will have to shell out Rs 300 from the next fiscal year and also follow the four-point conditions laid out in the license.

The dog license/permit is mandatory for all pet dogs in MCC limits, owners will have to submit documents about periodic vaccination of their pets along with application for the license, validity of which is one year and has to be renewed annually and follow all directives issued by the government under The Animal Birth Control (Dog) Rules 2001. The council of MCC approved this agenda at its monthly meeting that Mayor Kavitha Sanil chaired on March 30, Thursday.

An office note provided with the agenda stated that the main aim in making dog license mandatory is to keep a check on stray dogs in city corporation limits and thereby minimize problems caused to people. There is an increase in stray dog population across the city and this has to be contained. A proposal was sent to standing committee on public health, education and social justice which in turn adopted resolution 44/2015-16 and sent it to the council on September 28, 2015.