Pet breeders oppose Centre’s policy

Ananya Panda

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 25

Decrying the Central government’s Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Pet Shop) Rules, 2018, pet shop owners and breeders on Sunday claimed the new pet policy — which they termed as “flawed” — will "encourage" unethical and illegal practices in pet trade.

The leaders of Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party extended support to the two-day protest organised by Pet Lovers Association (PLA) at Jantar Mantar here.

Hundreds of pet hobbyists, pet shop owners from across the country claimed the new rules to regulate the pet business have seriously affected the trade.

The protest ending today came ahead of the next hearing in a case filed in the Supreme Court against the new pet rules that make registration of pet shops mandatory with the State Animal Welfare Board and prevent abuse and cruelty at hands of pet shop owners.

Senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid, who is going to present the case tomorrow in the apex court, termed the rules “impractical” saying, “It is a one-sided law, which would make trading of birds and animals impossible and will encourage illegal trade, which we absolutely don’t want.”

The new provisions with regard to the sale of pets came in the wake of concerns raised about the trauma animals and birds go through in the trade, besides large-scale violation of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 by pet shops in the country. As per animal activists, cruel practices like feather plucking, tail-docking, de-beaking, de-clawing and nail clipping, etc, are very rampant in pet shop industry where often they are found to be confined in terrible conditions.

The new sections will reign in the entire pet business, specifying standards for animal and bird housing, veterinary care, breeding and their transportation— leaving the pet traders irked. 

They have warned of expanding the stir to other states.

To PLA vice-president HS Jagpal, the clause of a mandated veterinary care of pets is “unreasonable”. The new law makes health certificate from a veterinary practitioner for every animal on sale and a written exercise plan for any pup over 16 weeks of age.

Opposing the compulsory registration clause for pet shop operations, PLA general secretary Ajay Pratap Singh said failure to obtain license/ registration due to economic constraints cannot be equated with “cruelty” to animals unless there is an act of inflicting any injury or pain to the animal. He also objected to the prescribed space requirement for housing animals.

“We have begun this protest from the national capital and will take this further to other states,” he added.

Calling for a wider consultancy and outreach to people who are expert in handling animals and birds, Khurshid said “People who deal with this trade are not doing anything illegal or immoral. We hope that the court will set up a group to study these rules, comeback with a report, and then take a final call.”

Former Delhi Law Minister Somnath Bharti said the AAP will raise the issue in Parliament and will do everything possible to change these rules if the party wins in the next national elections.