City bets on pets with chips

New ownership law set to reel in strays, writes Jutamas Tadthiemrom

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na recent sweltering afternoon in Bangkok’s Klong Toey community, a shop owner struggled to coax her rescued mutt into a car. The dog, once abandoned, trembled at the sight of vehicles.

“I’m taking him to be microchipped,’ the woman said, frustration in her voice. “But I can’t get him into the car.”

Her story captures both the promise and the challenges of Bangkok's sweeping new pet ownership law, which will take effect on Jan 10.

Announced earlier this year and published in the Royal Gazette, the law is one of the city's boldest efforts to manage its soaring pet population and curb the spread of strays.

It requires every dog and cat to be registered and microchipped, limits the number of animals per household based on property size, and mandates leashes or carriers in public spaces.

For certain breeds deemed dangerous, such as pit bulls and rottweilers, stricter conditions apply. They must be muzzled and kept on short, strong leashes no longer than half a metre when in public.

Noncompliance could result in penalties, with fines as high as 25,000 baht for unregistered pets.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) says the law is designed to protect residents, prevent abandonment, and instil a culture of responsibility.

Yet as the deadline nears, concerns linger.

Will enforcement be practical? And how will it affect the city’s hundreds of thousands of pet owners, particularly those with limited means?

THE STRAY PROBLEM

The urgency becomes clearer when looking at Bangkok's stray population.

Veterinarian Sitthaphon Iamvisut, director of the BMA's Public Health Veterinary Office, told the Bangkok Post the city has seen a rapid increase in stray animals in recent years, particularly cats.

Unlike dogs, cats are elusive, nesting on rooftops and reproducing at high rates.