Woman allegedly slapped with fine worth INR 800,000 for giving food to dogs

• Watchmen of residential society note down woman’s name.
• Feeding stray dogs comes under banner of littering.
• Stray dogs considered menace for residential society.

MUMBAI: A woman in India has allegedly been slapped with a heavy fine by her residential society for feeding stray dogs, NDTV reported. 

The woman, identified as Anshu Singh, used to feed stray dogs within the premises of her Mumbai residential complex every day, the report said. As a result, she was fined a heavy sum of INR ₹800,000 for violating the rules of the residential complex. 

Speaking to the Indian media, Singh said that the management committee of her residential complex imposes a ₹5,000 fine per day on residents who are found feeding stray dogs inside the complex.

"It is imposed as littering charges. My cumulative fine amount till now is over ₹ 800,000," she said, per NDTV.

Singh further mentioned that the practice of imposing fines against residents feeding canines came to practice in July 2021. 

According to another resident, Leela Verma, the residential society’s guard follows residents who roam around feeding stray dogs in the area and notes their names down. After that, the fine is calculated by the managing committee when the guard informs them about the residents.

The secretary of the housing complex, Vinita Srinandan, informed the media that senior citizens cannot roam around easily, while children run after stray dogs when going for their tuitions.

"Then there are issues related to cleanliness and hygiene as these dogs soil the parking space and other areas and create a nuisance. The residents cannot sleep properly at night as dogs keep howling throughout," Srinandan said.

"There is an enclosure for dogs within the premises of the housing complex but many residents still feed the animals in the open," the secretary said.