Chennai cracks down on unlicensed pets, over 73,000 dogs microchipped amid safety concerns
Chennai: In a major push to promote responsible pet ownership and strengthen public safety, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has issued 73,754 pet licences so far, embedding mandatory microchips in registered dogs to ensure traceability and welfare compliance.
The civic body had set December 7 last year as the deadline for pet owners to microchip their dogs. Following the cut-off date, defaulters were penalised Rs 5,000 each. As part of the enforcement drive, the Corporation has collected Rs 7.11 lakh in fines from non-compliant owners.
According to GCC Veterinary Officer Kamal Hussain, the licensing and microchipping drive began in October and continued until mid-December, witnessing an overwhelming response from pet owners.
“More than 70,000 licences were issued during the initial phase, and microchips were embedded in all registered dogs. The enforcement aims to promote responsible pet ownership and ensure public safety,” he said.
The intensified measures come in the wake of a series of alarming pet attack incidents reported across the city over the past two years.
In May 2024, two Rottweilers allegedly mauled a five-year-old girl and her mother in a public park. The following month, separate attacks involving Rottweilers and Boxers left multiple individuals injured, including a 12-year-old boy who sustained serious injuries.
In May 2025, an IAS officer was bitten during a morning walk in Royapettah. A month later, a fatal incident involving a Pit Bull shocked residents when a man was mauled to death, and the dog reportedly attacked its owner when she attempted to intervene.
These incidents prompted the Corporation to tighten pet regulations, making it mandatory for dogs to be leashed, muzzled in public places, and vaccinated regularly.
The microchip — a small electronic device implanted under the dog’s skin — enables authorities to identify ownership details and track vaccination status.
Veterinary centres witnessed a surge in registrations before the deadline. Shravan Krishnan of the Besant Memorial Animal Dispensary said pet owners rushed to comply, though registrations have slowed considerably since. “We now see fewer than 10 cases a week for microchipping,” he noted. The dispensary has embedded 1,812 microchips so far.
GCC continues to offer free licensing and microchipping services at seven designated centres across the city, operating from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday to Saturday.
