Lukewarm response for online pet registrations

Out of 40K dogs, only 150 receive licence from GHMC

Online licence was issued to only about 150 dogs out of a pet dog population of 40,000 in the city so far by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).

The online registration system was introduced during the first week of November last. A reason for the poor response is that the civic body has not made any significant effort to raise awareness. Officials claim the online registration is a continuous process and the corporation has set a target of issuing 10,000 online licences this year.

Pet owners can log on to the website www.ghmc.gov.in, click on the ‘Our services’ section, choose the option to fill an application for a licence via online and enter some details. They will have to pay no more than `50 for the licence. A unique identification number will be provided to the dog after registration.

Pet owners are required to submit their dog’s recent vaccination certificate, residence certificate by way of a copy of the electricity/ water/house tax bill, Aadhaar card or driving licence and a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the neighbours. The application will be forwarded to the veterinary assistant director or deputy director of the GHMC zone, who will verify the same and issue the licence. This apart, pet owners should produce proof that the dog has been given an anti-rabies vaccination.

A civic official said issuing online licence for pet dogs is a continuous process. Posters about this will be pasted at all private vet clinics. A few posters were already pasted at a few vet clinics, as a result of which 150 online registrations were done so far, he said.