The Supreme Court’s recent directive to relocate stray dogs in Delhi-NCR has reignited focus on another long-ignored issue, the capital’s abysmally low pet dog registration rate.
Despite the process being mandatory under Section 399 of the Delhi Municipal Corporation (MCD) Act, MCD data shows only 5,767 pet dogs are officially registered, with 381 more applications pending. Officials warn the gap leaves a grey area between pets and strays, fueling disputes and misuse of the complaint system.
“Registration and the token serve as proof of ownership. With the recent SC judgment, we expect a surge in applications, especially for adopted indigenous breeds.”
— Senior MCD official
Why It Matters
Under the law, non-registration can lead to fines and even prosecution under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for negligent behaviour with respect to animals. The Act also empowers authorities to detain unregistered dogs found in public spaces, though enforcement is rare.
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Experts Warn of Confusion & Conflict
Animal welfare activist Gauri Maulekhi of People for Animals says the lack of tagging creates inevitable disputes:“A neighbour might report my dog as a stray, or collar a stray and claim it’s a long-time pet. Without tags, it’s bound to cause confusion.”
The Supreme Court’s ruling on Monday rejected stray dog adoption outright, focusing only on community dog relocation—but did not issue directions on pet registration.
Asher Jesudoss, whose 2022 plea led to the creation of the Delhi Animal Welfare Board, says:
“Very few dogs are registered in Delhi. All breeds and dogs need to be registered; proving ownership otherwise becomes tricky.”
Registration in Practice
Pet registration can be done online with a uniform fee of ₹500. Each registered dog receives a brass token for its collar, which also records vaccination status. But veterinary officials admit actual registrations are far below the real number of pets in the city.
