Maha AWB to submit action report on Bibwewadi pet parents harassment case

PUNE: After receiving a complaint regarding harassment of pet parents at a Bibwewadi housing society in October this year, Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) member-secretary Prachi Jain, has written to Maharashtra Animal Welfare Board (MAWB) member-secretary Shailesh Kende, directing the latter to submit an action report on the alleged case of harassment. Meanwhile, the MAWB has issued instructions to the district animal husbandry department to verify the complaint and will submit the action report after due process, a senior MAWB official said.

The incident occurred in the last week of October this year when, during the annual general meeting (AGM) of the Chintamani Residency Cooperative Housing Society in Bibwewadi, some members of the society demanded that pets are prohibited on company premises. A resident of the society sought help from an NGO named Shashwat Foundation regarding this matter, and the NGO contacted the society chairman regarding this matter. Meanwhile, a complaint was registered with the AWBI on October 30, 2024. Taking cognizance of the complaint, the AWBI on November 18 ordered MAWB member-secretary Kende to submit an action report on the matter . On November 21, the MAWB sent a notice to the district animal husbandry department to verify the complaint and said it would submit the action report after due process.

When contacted, Ankush Parihar, deputy commissioner of the district animal husbandry department, said he was not aware of this particular case. “However, we constantly receive complaints about the refueling points located in social premises in the city. More than pets, these complaints concern stray dogs. After receiving these complaints, our officials visit the premises and try to resolve the issue with the mutual consent of the society members,” Parihar said.

While the animal husbandry department receives maximum complaints regarding mistreatment of stray dogs, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) receives maximum complaints regarding pet nuisance in housing societies.

Sarika Funde, chief veterinary officer, PMC, said, “Every day we receive complaints from citizens regarding the nuisance of pets in housing societies. Most of these complaints are about cleanliness, noise, pet hair and animal bites, etc. In the guidelines issued by the AWBI in 2015, the responsibilities of pet owners and housing societies have been finalized and as per the guidelines, pet owners need to obtain a license from the PMC for which certain procedures need to be followed. followed. Now, registration and renewal procedures can be done online, benefiting pet owners.

“We often observe that pet owners do not follow guidelines regarding cleanliness and lifestyle. In this case, the PMC took action through the ward offices. As we are receiving more and more complaints these days, I have ordered all neighborhood officers to check whether the pet guidelines are being followed properly or not. Action will be taken if anyone violates these standards,” Funde said.

Animal lovers argue with society residents over keeping pets

Janhvi Kulkarni, a resident of a housing society in Dhayari, said, “Keeping pets in housing societies, especially in smaller ones where the common space is also small, is inconvenient. I have found that pet owners often neglect cleanliness when keeping their pets. In our society, a pet owner feeds his pet in the open and after the meal, the leftovers remain as is. Even after complaining to him, he doesn’t seem to care at all.

Anagha Rashinkar, a resident of Sadashiv Peth, said, “In our society, pets defecate in the open which is a serious concern and members of the society keep complaining about it. »

However, Jasmine Dahiwal, an animal lover and resident of Kothrud, said, “Owning a pet has multiple benefits. However, there are real concerns expressed by citizens. I have observed that many dog ​​owners hire dog walkers who continue to talk on their cell phones and do not care about the dogs they are walking. Pet owners should be careful when hiring dog walkers. Even in small housing societies, smaller dog breeds are a better option as they do not require as much space.

Rahul Deshmukh, animal lover and resident of Pashan, said, “In many societies, pets are not accepted by members of the society and pet owners often face a lot of harassment from from other residents. »

Shrikant Gaikwad, animal lover and resident of Sangvi, said, “There are guidelines for both housing societies and pet owners. People should be open-minded enough to accept pets in housing societies. However, few people are ready for this and continue to complain. Some companies even go so far as to prohibit pets from entering the premises. People should learn to accept pets as members of their owners’ families…”