Man seeks legal action against Surat civic body over ‘death of pet dog’

SMC market department officials did not respond to phone calls .

A pet owner on January 1 handed an application to the Surat police demanding legal action against Surat Municipal Corporation’s (SMC) marketing department over the purported death of his pet dog. In his application to Icchapore Police, Sunilkumar Singh alleged that on December 29, 2025 at 9:45am, a dog-catcher team from SMC’s marketing department caught his Pomeranian dog (female) outside the house in the lawn area.

Singh was at work in the morning and learnt about his pet’s disappearance after returning home in the evening.

On checking the CCTV cameras installed outside his house and those of other neighbours, he saw two youths catching the pet using a net tied to one end of a stick, and carrying it to the SMC vehicle.

The video footage showed the SMC team had left the spot without informing the neighbours.

The next day, Singh reached the SMC market department office to enquire about his pet.

In his application, Singh said that while interacting with SMC officials, they had accepted that the “lower-level contractual staff” had mistakenly caught the pet.

Singh then approached Icchapore police to register an offence against the people involved in the “death of his pet”.

Ichhapore police inspector AC Gohil said, “We have received the application and have started a probe to get information about what actually happened. It is unknown whether the pet is alive or dead. Once we take statements from all the suspects, the picture will be clear.”

Sunil Singh said, “I have been taking care of a Pomeranian dog for the last five years. I live with my family members. The dog catcher team caught our dog from our lawn without notifying my family members. We call my pet “Jadiben” and it was like my child. I still don’t know whether my pet is dead or alive…”