Hyderabad: Dog owners in Telangana will have to shell out penalties if they let their pets defecate or relieve in public places under the Urban Local Bodies (ULB) across the state, officials said.
According to the latest directive, any dog owner who makes his pet defecate in public places such as residential areas, parks, streets, and roads and does not get the excreta removed will have to pay a penalty of up to Rs 1,000.
“In case of the violation of new instructions, the dog owners will be held responsible for their dogs’ poop and litter. The Municipal Act now mandates that pet owners clean up after their dogs in public spaces; otherwise, a fine of up to Rs. 1,000 will be imposed on them,” said the Commissioner and Director of Municipal Administration (CDMA), TK Sridevi.
She said a circular has already been sent to all the municipal commissioners mostly within the Outer Ring Road (ORR) limits, except Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), to implement the new directions.
The move comes after many people were found letting their dogs defecate and relieve in public places such as roads, walking tracks, parks, and footpaths, Sridevi said.
“The new decision has been taken to prevent any health hazard due to dog excreta and inconvenience to those who use the public places,” officials said.
Such a rule is already in force in major cities including Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Pune, Indore, and Nagpur, while defecating openly is not allowed under dog license rules.
“The lack of cleanup following the dogs' open urination has led to complaints from the public over hygienic problems. Dog owners are accountable for upholding public cleanliness,” officials added.
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