Pet owners flag problems in online licensing, long queues at ABC centres

Sunday special camps for pet licensing and microchipping at seven centres in the city received a huge response. However, pet owners said there were gaps in the online licensing process that forced them to visit in person, while veterinarians cited lack of additional staff to handle weekend rush.

“The microchipping and licensing processes will be done only till 3 p.m. on weekends. On Sundays, special camps will be held till 5 p.m. at the seven Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres of the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC). Free vaccines against rabies and canine distemper will be administered. The camps that will be held till November 23. The next course of action will be decided by higher authorities,” an official in the Public Health Department said.

The camps are held at ABC centres in Pulianthope, Lloyds Colony, Kannammapet, Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar, Meenambakkam, Nungambakkam, and Sholinganallur.

Mani, an autorickshaw driver who had visited the ABC centre at Kannammapet in T. Nagar to microchip and license his dog, left without completing the procedures due to the long queue. “A few years ago, when I vaccinated my dog at a clinic of the Blue Cross of India, I had obtained a licence through an online process. But I was not sure of its validity. So, I tried to register via the GCC’s online portal, but in vain. When I came here for clarification and to get the microchipping done, I got multiple tokens and wasn’t sure when the process would begin, so I left,” he said.

Meenakshi, another dog owner, who completed the microchipping process at one of the centres, said it took several hours as there was only one doctor to handle a large crowd. “Animals get agitated if they are kept away from home for too long. There were catchers to help, but the process could have been quicker if more vets were available,” she said.

An owner of three Kombai dogs said he too faced problems with the online licensing system for eight months. Though he was assured that it would be resolved if he came in person, he had to wait for over an hour at the Kannammapet centre — a concern echoed by pet owners across the centres.

A veterinary doctor at the centre said the crowd was manageable on weekdays, but preferred additional staff and volunteers on weekends.

A volunteer from the Besant Memorial Animal Dispensary said four volunteers each were deployed at Kannammapet, Pulianthope, and Sholinganallur.

A GCC official said the camps were intended to attract more participants, and volunteers were deputed accordingly. “Issues in the online portal have been fixed. If problems persist, they will be flagged with the officials concerned for rectification.