🐕 Mandatory Registration & Limits
**Registration is Mandatory: Every dog over four months old must be registered with the Municipal Corporation (MC). The initial fee is generally around ₹500 for five years.
Dog Limits Based on House Size: The number of dogs you can keep is now capped based on your property size (marla/kanal):
Up to 5 marla house: 1 dog
5 to 12 marla house: 2 dogs
12 marla to 1 kanal house: 3 dogs (with one required to be an adopted mongrel/Indie dog)
Above 1 kanal house: 4 dogs (with two required to be adopted mongrels/Indie dogs)
🚫 Banned Breeds
Aggressive Breeds Banned: The MC has banned several dog breeds considered aggressive for public safety, including the American Bulldog, American Pitbull/Pitbull Terrier, Bull Terrier, Cane Corso, Dogo Argentino, and Rottweiler, and their crossbreeds.
Existing Owners: The ban is generally not retroactive. Owners who had already registered these breeds before the notification are usually exempt, but they must adhere to rules like compulsory muzzling in public.
💰 Fines and Penalties
Violations: Fines range significantly, with some violations incurring a penalty of up to ₹13,400.
Open Defecation: A key penalty is a fine of up to ₹10,000 for allowing a pet to defecate in public places like streets, parks, or green belts without cleaning up (treated as littering).
Liability: Owners are now fully responsible and liable for any injury or damage caused by their pet. Penalties for dog-related violations can now be added directly to the owner’s water or property tax bills for recovery.
🌳 Restricted Areas & Community Dogs
No Dogs in Public Hotspots: Pets are banned from major public places, including Sukhna Lake, Rose Garden, Rock Garden, Leisure Valley, and other notified parks.
Designated Feeding Zones: Feeding of community (stray) dogs is only permitted at designated spots identified by the Municipal Corporation in consultation with Residents’ Welfare Associations (RWAs).
It seems the days of a free-for-all are over. If you own a dog in Chandigarh, the message is clear: Register, comply, or pay up!