Is abandoning a pet illegal in India?
Updated By PetymFacts checked against official sources on
Quick answer
Yes. Section 11(1)(i) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 makes it an offence to abandon any animal without reasonable cause in circumstances that make it likely to suffer pain from starvation or thirst. Section 3 also makes every owner take reasonable care of their animal, and failing to give food, water or shelter is a separate offence.
If you cannot keep your pet, the lawful and kinder route is to rehome it: to family or friends you trust, or with help from an animal welfare organisation recognised by AWBI. If you find an abandoned pet, give it water and shade, get it to a vet, and report it to your district SPCA or the police.
What does the law say about abandoning a pet?
Two duties and two offences in the same Act cover most cases of a pet left behind.
Section 3 of the PCA Act says it is the duty of every person in charge of an animal to take all reasonable measures for its well-being and to prevent unnecessary pain or suffering. The Act defines an owner widely: it includes anyone who has possession or custody of the animal, with or without the legal owner's consent, so a family member or carer left in charge has the same duty.
Section 11(1)(i) makes it an offence to abandon any animal, without reasonable cause, in circumstances which render it likely that it will suffer pain by reason of starvation or thirst. Section 11(1)(h) makes it an offence for an owner to fail to provide an animal with sufficient food, drink or shelter. Leaving a dog tied on a terrace after moving house, or a cat locked in an empty flat, can fall under both.
What is the punishment for abandoning a pet?
The PCA Act's fines date from 1982 and are low, but a conviction has other consequences.
| What the Act says | Cognizable? | |
|---|---|---|
| First offence under section 11 Animal Welfare Board of India | Fine of not less than Rs 10 and up to Rs 50 | No: the police record it and refer it to a magistrate |
| Second offence within three years Animal Welfare Board of India | Fine of Rs 25 to Rs 100, or imprisonment up to three months, or both | No |
| Section 29 order after a conviction Animal Welfare Board of India | The court can forfeit the animal and, in some cases, bar the person from keeping animals | Not applicable |
| If the animal is killed, poisoned or maimed Animal Welfare Board of India | BNS section 325: up to five years' imprisonment, or fine, or both | Yes |
Amounts as written in the PCA Act as amended in 1982, read on 21 October 2026. AWBI's handbook lists abandonment under section 11(1)(i) as non-cognizable.
What do people get wrong about leaving a pet behind?
You may have read
An Indie will be fine on the street; it is where it came from.
Myth
What the sources say
The Act punishes abandonment that makes an animal likely to suffer from hunger or thirst, whatever its breed. A pet raised indoors has no territory, food source or group on the street. Animal Welfare Board of India
You may have read
Once I leave a pedigree dog outside, it becomes the municipality's problem.
Myth
What the sources say
The ABC Rules, 2023 classify abandoned pedigreed dogs with street dogs, which brings them under the street dog programme, but that does not cancel the owner's offence under the PCA Act. Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying (Gazette of India copy on AWBI's site)
You may have read
Handing my dog to the watchman is the same as rehoming it.
Myth
What the sources say
The Act's duty of care passes to whoever has custody, but if that person cannot feed or shelter the dog, it is still likely to suffer. Rehome to someone who has agreed and can cope. Animal Welfare Board of India
You may have read
Nobody is ever caught.
Myth
What the sources say
AWBI's list of cruelty complaints includes cases of abandoned dogs on which it wrote to the authorities. Animal Welfare Board of India
What can you do instead if you cannot keep your pet?
Plan this while the pet is still safely at home. A rushed handover is how pets end up on the street.
Least change
Ask your own circle first
Family, friends or neighbours who already know the pet. Give them its vaccination card, food, medicines and vet details, and stay in touch for the first weeks.
Help with matching
An AWBI-recognised animal welfare organisation
Recognised organisations and district SPCAs run adoption programmes. Call before you go: many have waiting lists and will ask about the pet's health and temperament. Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying (Gazette of India copy on AWBI's site)
Temporary
Care while you sort things out
If the problem is a move, a hospital stay or a long trip, short-term care can buy you time to decide. A Petym sitter will follow the pet's plan as you write it, once Petym opens in your city.
Talk to your vet
If the reason is behaviour or a health problem you cannot manage, your vet can help you understand the options before you decide.
What should you do if you find an abandoned pet?
Make it safe
Water and shade first, especially in summer. Do not chase a frightened dog into traffic.
Get it checked
Take it to a vet or a government veterinary hospital. A vet can scan for a microchip, which may lead back to the owner.
Record what you see
Photos, the place, the date and time, and anyone who saw it being left. Ask neighbours and the society office.
Report it
To your district SPCA, the police or AWBI's cruelty complaint page. Abandonment is non-cognizable, so the police record it and refer it to a magistrate. Animal Welfare Board of India
Does this really happen in India?
From news reports, not yet an official source.
A news report, not an official record. The facts are as the newspaper reported them.
30 April 2026
The Week reported that more than 30 Siberian Huskies had been left without care in extreme heat on the outskirts of Hyderabad, near Nandigaon village, and that one dog was found dead. Rescuers were treating the rest, and the report said authorities were expected to examine whether animal cruelty laws had been broken. The Week (30 April 2026)news report
Going away soon? Tell us your dates.
A checked local sitter feeds, walks and keeps your pet company at home, follows your care sheet to the letter and sends a photo every day. Petym is opening city by city: send your dates and we will tell you when a sitter can take them.
- Meet your sitter first, free
- PAN-checked, first-aid trained
- A photo every day
- Pay through Petym, never cash
Questions owners ask
What is the punishment for abandoning a dog in India?
- Under section 11 of the PCA Act, 1960, a first offence carries a fine of Rs 10 to Rs 50, and a repeat offence within three years a fine of Rs 25 to Rs 100, up to three months' imprisonment, or both. The court can also take the animal away. If the dog is killed or maimed, BNS section 325 applies.
Can my landlord or society make me abandon my pet?
- No law requires you to abandon a pet, and doing so would be your offence under the PCA Act, not theirs. Disputes about keeping pets in rented flats or housing societies have their own rules and AWBI guidance; read Petym's pages on pets in rented homes and housing societies before you decide anything.
Is it abandonment to leave my dog alone while I travel?
- Not if someone is feeding, watering and checking on it. The offence is abandoning an animal without reasonable cause where it is likely to suffer from hunger or thirst. Arrange a sitter, boarding or a trusted person, leave written care instructions, and never leave a pet locked in alone for days.
Who do I call about an abandoned dog?
- Your district SPCA, a local animal welfare organisation, or the police. AWBI also takes cruelty complaints through its website. Give water and shade, and take the dog to a vet, who can scan it for a microchip. Note the place, date and any witnesses, because that helps any later case.
Can I give my pet to an animal shelter?
- Often yes, but call first. The ABC Rules, 2023 describe animal shelters as places where stray, street or abandoned animals are kept for adoption or rehabilitation, and many have limited space. Take the pet's vaccination card, medical history and food, and tell them honestly about its health and behaviour.
Keep reading
- Animal cruelty law in IndiaEvery PCA Act cruelty offence and how to report it.
- Pets in rented homes
- Pets in housing societies
- Leaving your dog for a week
- How long can you leave a dog alone?
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Sources
Each source was opened and read on the date shown. How Petym checks its sources
- Animal Welfare Board of India: The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, as amended in 1982 (AWBI's copy) (opens in a new tab)
- Animal Welfare Board of India: Law Enforcement Handbook on Animal Welfare Laws (27 February 2025) (opens in a new tab)
- Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying (Gazette of India copy on AWBI's site): Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023: G.S.R. 193(E), 10 March 2023 (opens in a new tab)
- Animal Welfare Board of India: Acts (listing page: the PCA Act, 1960 and its 1982 amendment) (opens in a new tab)
- Animal Welfare Board of India: Cruelty: lodge a cruelty complaint, and the list of cruelty cases (opens in a new tab)
- The Week (30 April 2026): Over 30 Siberian Husky dogs abandoned on Hyderabad outskirts amidst searing heat, one dead (opens in a new tab)