Tiruchy Corporation survey finds 47,000 dogs in city; licensing may follow

TIRUCHY: With an aim to introduce a pet licensing system, the city corporation has completed a comprehensive survey identifying 47,000 dogs in the city, including 20,000 strays. Senior officials stated that the findings will be tabled in this month’s council meeting, marking the first step toward regulating pet ownership.

Although the corporation had announced plans to implement the licensing system in July 2024, the process, including the transition to an online system, has been delayed due to multiple factors. “Now that we have an exact count of stray and pet dogs, we can better estimate the timeline for issuing licenses.

Additionally, many pet owners have been reluctant to obtain licenses. The survey was crucial before launching the system,” a senior corporation official said. However, residents have urged the corporation to expedite the process and clarify whether licenses will also be required for other domestic animals, such as cows and goats.

“It looks like they are focusing only on stray dogs, but what about cattle, goats, and even cats? In July 2024, the corporation announced that cattle licenses would be issued only after site inspections, but there has been no further update.

The initiative should have been planned with proper groundwork,” said G Vinayakam, a resident of Srirangam and a cattle owner. Senior officials assured that all concerns, including the licensing process for different animals, will be addressed in the upcoming council meeting.