After Rottweilers Attack, Chennai Civic Body Tightens Rules For Pets

The Greater Chennai Corporation has tightened rules for entry of pets, particularly dogs inside public parks following the recent attack on a five-year-old girl by two Rottweiler dogs in a city park. 

The revised rules make it mandatory for pets to be leashed and muzzled inside parks. Other than this, a pet owner can take only one pet to that park at a time.

A pet licence has also been made mandatory, says the notification from the Chennai Corporation. It added, "This apart, companion and pet dogs will be checked for licence".

On Sunday a five-year-old girl was attacked by two unleashed Rottweilers at a public park in Chennai's Thousand Lights area. According to the investigators, the owner did not intervene. 

The dogs targeted the mother of the child when she tried to save the child. The girl's father works as a security guard at the park and she was playing in the park when the dogs took on her.  

"The scalp of the child was ripped for 11 inches" said Dr J Radhakrishnan, Commissioner of Greater Chennai Corporation. 

The girl, Sudaksha is being treated at a private hospital in the city. He also added "The Corporation will take care of the complete medical expenses of the child".

The city police arrested three people, including the owner of the dog and two others who handled them. All three have been let out on police station bail as the offences are bailable. Police sources say the dogs have not been sterilised as well, intensifying suspicion that these canines were kept for breeding for commercial gains. 

In March, the Centre asked states to ban the sale and breeding of 23 breeds of ferocious dogs, including Pitbull Terrier, American Bulldog, Rottweiler and Mastiffs. The directive added that those who already have these breeds as pets must sterilise them at once. The Animal Husbandry Department said it has received representations from citizen forums and Animal Welfare Organisations to ban people from keeping some breeds as pets.

 However, the Madras High Court has stayed the Centre's order.