Pick up your dog’s poop or pay Rs 100

Every morning when Gokulnadh goes for his run, he is forced to zig-zag across the pavement, dodging piles of dog poop chequering the route. “There are many dog owners walking their dogs in the morning. But not even once have I seen them pick up the dog’s litter. The poop on the pavement makes it tough for others – pedestrians and joggers – to navigate,” said the 26-year-old techie.

In the posh, leafy avenues of Kalakshetra Colony nestled in the upscale neighbourhood of Besant Nagar, countless mails have been sent to the residents who own pets, directing them to pick up the poop – but little has changed, said Sai Ramakrishnan. 

“There are many pet owners here – but just five or six of us pick up their pet’s litter. The rest of them don’t care that their dog is littering another resident’s driveway,” added the entrepreneur, who has been picking up after his pet for more than a decade now.

The draft solid waste management by-laws 2016 by the Corporation will penalise pet owners for not clearing the litter with a fine of Rs 100 for every violation. Cities like Mumbai (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) already have a fine of Rs 500 for violating pet owners.

Activists, like Antony Rubin, said that pet owners should pick up the litter, even without the law. “Why should anyone else tolerate it? Owning a pet also means being responsible and picking up after the dog – law or not,” he stated.