The Government has come out with a comprehensive policy to address the plight of dogs and cats in mills and regulate the flourishing trade. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has notified rules under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 to regulate breeding of animals sold as pets, making it mandatory for breeders to register themselves with State Animal Welfare Boards and maintain records of purchase, sale and rehabilitation of the animals.
As per new rules, puppies and kittens less than eight weeks old cannot be sold. Only healthy, inoculated, and micro-chipped puppies and kittens can be sold after providing complete treatment and vaccination records. The puppies and kittens cannot be displayed in public places for sale, including pet shops.
The rules also bar minors and mentally unsound persons from registration as breeders. The breeders should also not have been disqualified from “contracting” under any law.
“Every breeder will have to maintain records of individual animals, both male and female, including microchip number, date of birth, name of breeder from whom the animal was acquired, name and address of person from whom the animal was directly acquired, date of acquisition, date and duration of lease if any and date and place of mating. The breeder will also have to main records of names of persons handling the mating and names and number of the animals including microchip number of the animal with which the dog or cat has been mated and name and address of purchaser,” the rules say.
The objective of the proposed rules is to make pet breeders and their marketers accountable and to prevent infliction of any cruelty in this process. Cat and dog breeding and their marketing have mushroomed all around the country, especially in metro cities, including Delhi-NCR.
Tens of thousands of dogs and cats are bred in deplorable conditions without proper medical care. In many cases, puppies and kittens less than two months old are sold without any registration or records. Whelping dogs and queening cats are impregnated continuously and that impacts their health as well as the wellbeing of the puppies and kittens born to weak mothers.
“Only healthy, mature female dogs that have reached their 18th month shall be bred and shall be certified as healthy by a veterinary practitioner at least ten days prior to their being bred. No female dog shall be exploited to produce litters in two consecutive breeding seasons,” it said, adding female dogs shall not be mated after the age of eight years.
The rules further said that dogs and cats shall not be euthanised just because they can no longer breed or cannot be sold and therefore are not commercially viable. All euthanasia of “mortally” wounded animals or incurably sick animals shall be accomplished by a registered veterinary practitioner under the Veterinary Council of India.
According to the rules, not more than 12 adult dogs shall be housed in the same primary enclosure. Female dogs and queens in heat shall not be housed in the same primary enclosure with sexually mature males, except for breeding.
As per the amended rules, housing facilities for the animals should be structurally sound and be kept in good repair, contain the animals securely and restrict other animals from entering. Areas inside of housing facilities should be kept neat and free of clutter.
As per new rules, no breeder shall carry on or continue any breeding activity or own or house animals for breeding and sale of pups and kittens, unless the breeder has obtained a certificate of registration in respect of the establishment being used or intended to be used by him for breeding or housing the animals for breeding, from the State Board in accordance with these rules.
Every breeder should prominently display the certificate of registration in the establishment and every breeder shall keep the establishment used by him for breeding or for housing the animals to be bred or sold, open for inspection by a person authorised in writing by the State Board.
“Dogs may be kept on tethers only in outside housing facilities that meet the requirements of these rules. The tether should be attached to the front of the dog’s shelter or to a post in front of the shelter structure and shall be at least three times the length of the dog, as measured from the tip of its nose to the base of its tail,” the rules say.
Every animal shall be kept in a clean, healthy and safe environment and be provided with all socialization opportunities, vaccinations, and de-worming necessary to provide maximum mental and physical well-being and very breeder shall have the services of a consultant veterinary practitioner available to attend to emergency medical requirements and records of his visits shall be maintained in writing.
The consultant veterinary practitioner shall visit the establishment periodically, at regular intervals and medical examination of each animal at the establishment shall be conducted at least once every month and a record of the same shall be maintained by the breeder.
Individual health records shall be maintained of all animals above the age of eight weeks, or that have been weaned, or that have been treated with a medical procedure, whichever occurs first.