Animal welfare volunteers say pet abandonment on the rise as GCC’s licensing deadline nears

With the deadline for mandatory dog microchipping approaching, animal welfare volunteers say they are seeing a worrying rise in pet abandonment. They believe the spike is linked to confusion surrounding the GCC’s new pet licensing rules and the proposed ₹5,000 penalty for non-compliance. 

While initially the civic body had announced November 24 as the last date, recently it extended the deadline to December 7.

Over the past 10 days, rescuers have found an unusually high number of dogs — among them Labradors, Saint Bernards, Dobermanns, and native breeds like the Chippiparai — left tied near parks, apartment gates, or simply abandoned on the streets.

Social workers Preetheeswari and Arun Babu said abandonment was not new but the numbers had increased noticeably in recent days. Preetheeswari attributes this to the short window given for microchipping and licensing.

Dogs rescued

“Pet owners abandon animals for many reasons — moving houses, primary caretaker leaving, or illness. They don’t realise the mental trauma the animal goes through when it is abandoned,” she said. The couple have coordinated rescues of 15 dogs over the last month.

Volunteers note that many pet owners do not fully understand the new rules, while communities and housing societies are also struggling as some residents oppose pets in shared spaces.

They add that the licensing and microchipping process is time-consuming, and although abandoned pedigree dogs are more visible, many more cases — especially involving Indie dogs — likely go unreported. Confusion persists over annual licence renewal, validity, and transferability.

V. Valavan, a dog rescuer from Avadi, says panic is being fuelled by unclear or incomplete information about the new requirements. While he typically handles three to five rescue cases a month, he has rescued seven dogs in the past three days alone. “The government announced door-to-door checks, so people are scared,” he said.

Arun Prasanna of People for Cattle in India says pet owners are anxious about penalties and potential criminal action. “The fine is a significant burden for many, especially low-income families. The threat of legal action is also making people hesitant to continue caring for their dogs,” he said.

Volunteers are urging the civic body to pause strict enforcement until the guidelines are clarified. They want the GCC to issue transparent FAQs, resolve technical issues, and provide clear provisions for the rescued, aged, disabled, and fostered animals.