Dog and cat owners in Yangon who fail to register their pets could be fined and even jailed under a plan being considered by the Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC).
The plan is being drafted to encourage responsible pet ownership, according to a January 23 article in state-run newspaper The Global New Light of Myanmar.
But pet owners have questioned its use online, arguing the municipal government should prioritise the issue of street dogs and that compulsory registration could result in more people to abandon their pets.
A YCDC official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because she was not authorized to speak to the media said the plan comes under section 321 of the YCDC Law 2018.
“They only fined owners of farm animals such as cows before,” the official told Myanmar Mix. “Now they have just started the initiative for pets.”
Owners with unregistered dogs or cats face fines of 100,000-500,000 kyats (US$68-340) for the first violation and up to six months in jail for further violations, according to state media.
It applies to all owners, foreign and local, said the official.
But she did not say when the measure would come into force or how much registration would be. She did say, however, that owners could register their cats and dogs now.
Registration forms are available at township YCDC offices and can be downloaded at ycdc.gov.mm. They will then be submitted to Yangon City Hall for processing, said the official.
According to the state newspaper article, owners who register their pets are “obliged to follow” YCDC rules, which “reflects that ownership of pets come with responsibilities, and if one cannot fulfil them, then it would be better to forego pets.”
Yangon-based dog and cat sitters Pet Care are offering a registration service for 40,000 kyats in response to the measure. Owners must provide a signed letter from their ward office, a photo of their pet, and vaccination records among other documents.
