Chennai, February 24 – In a major effort to promote responsible pet ownership and enhance public safety, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has issued 73,754 pet licenses so far, requiring mandatory microchips to be implanted in registered dogs to ensure traceability and compliance with animal welfare standards.
The civic body had set December 7 of the previous year as the deadline for pet owners to microchip their dogs. Those who failed to comply were fined Rs 5,000 each. As part of this 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, receiving an overwhelming response from pet owners.
"More than 70,000 licenses were issued during the initial phase, and microchips were implanted in all registered dogs. The goal is to promote responsible pet ownership and ensure public safety," he said.
These intensified measures come in the wake of a series of alarming incidents involving pets across the city over the past two years.
In May 2024, two Rottweilers were allegedly involved in an attack on 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 killed, 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 and muzzled in public places, and to be vaccinated regularly.
The microchip – a small electronic device implanted under the dog's skin – allows 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 that pet owners rushed to comply, although registrations have slowed considerably since. "We now see fewer than 10 cases a week for microchipping," he noted. The dispensary has implanted 1,812 microchips so far.
The 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.