Pet shops to open after lockdown only

Hyderabad: Following the efforts of People for Animals (PFA) and Humane Society International/India (HSI/India), Governments of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, along with the Animal Welfare Board of India, have directed reopening of pet shops and dog breeding facilities only after registration with the relevant authority post lockdown. The district local bodies in the states have been requested to furnish the list of all pet shops and dog breeding to the Director of Veterinary & Animal Husbandry to take further necessary action to register all of them with State Animal Welfare Board.

With the fewer restrictions in lockdown 4.0, dog breeding facilities and the pets shops are being restricted unless and until they have been registered as per the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Dog Breeding and Marketing) Rules 2017 and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Pet Shop) Rules 2018. One of the key features of the rules is that no person can operate a pet shop or carry on the business of breeding and trade in pet animals without a certificate of registration from the State Animal Welfare Board concerned.

Alokparna Sengupta, the MD of HSI, lauded the governments for implementing the law and putting the regulation to use. People for Animals has started a tip line. If anyone finds any pet shop selling live animals or dog breeder operating without registration, send the photos/videos of the pet shop with location to petshoptipline@gmail.com