Hanoi about to require dog, cat registration
Monday, February 05, 2018, 19:00 GMT+7
Authorities in Hanoi have unveiled a new disease prevention scheme that will require residents to register their pet dogs and cats with officials, among other regulations.
The scheme is part of a national campaign to control and eradicate animal-borne diseases during the 2018-2021 period.
Accordingly, citizens who own dogs and cats must register the animals with the local government, which will be in charge of keeping a record of all the pets in their authority.
Dogs that are taken outside must be accompanied by a person, and either wear a muzzle or be kept on a leash for the safety of others, according to the scheme.
Dog owners are to pay for any costs of dealing with unattended dogs in public, including the expenses of having the stray animals impounded, fed and incinerated, if necessary, by animal control bodies.
The owners are also required to pay any medical expense and compensation for those harmed by their unattended dogs.
Regular pet vaccination is also mandatory under the new scheme, which looks to fine owners for failing to have their dogs and cats vaccinated according to a recommended schedule.
Debate has been raging in both mainstream media and online in Vietnam over keeping dogs on a leash or muzzle in public places and impounding stray or unattended dogs off the streets.
From September last year, residents in Ho Chi Minh City would face fines of up to VND800,000 (US$35.14) for letting their dogs run loose on the streets, as per a decree on administrative penalties in the field of veterinary medicine.
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