Chennai, Dec 13 : Nearly 1 lakh pet dogs have been registered with the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) since the civic body began issuing mandatory pet licences, administering anti-rabies vaccines, and implanting microchips at its veterinary facilities from October 8 this year.

According to official data, 98,523 pet dogs have been registered so far, of which 54,576 have already been issued licences and fitted with microchips.

The GCC initiative is part of efforts to ensure better tracking of pet animals, prevent the spread of rabies, and improve overall animal welfare in the city.

To address the rush of last-minute applications and speed up the process, the corporation on Friday launched special pet licensing camps across the city. The three-day camps will run until Sunday at eight locationsâ??Manali, Madhavaram, Tondiarpet, Ambattur, Anna Nagar, Valasaravakkam, Adyar, and Perungudi.

Services will be available from 9 am to 5 pm.

At these camps, pet owners can complete registration, obtain anti-rabies vaccination, have microchips implanted, and receive licences free of cost. The GCC has also extended the deadline for mandatory licensing to December 14, following requests from pet owners, and has urged residents to complete the process before the deadline to avoid penalties.

GCC Chief Veterinary Officer J. Kamal Hussain said a small percentage of applicationsâ??around 3â??4 per centâ??were being submitted by residents from areas outside GCC limits, including neighbouring corporations and village panchayats.

â??We are rejecting such applications, as well as forms with incomplete vaccination details. Owners from non-GCC areas will not be fined if they enter city limits without a licence. Our officers will only verify Aadhaar details, and if the address falls outside GCC jurisdiction, no penalty will be imposed,â?? he said.

Microchipping services are currently provided at five Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres located at Pulianthope, Royapettah (Lloydâ??s Colony), Meenambakkam, Sholinganallur, and T. Nagar.

However, some residents have complained of long waiting times and inadequate staffing at these centres.

â??Each ABC centre is supposed to microchip at least 400 dogs a day, but only around 150 are being handled. I waited nearly three hours at the Pulianthope centre because there were just two staff members,â?? said a pet owner.

In response, GCC officials have advised residents to make use of the special camps, especially when ABC centres are overcrowded, to ensure the timely completion of licensing and microchipping procedures.

/IANS