Pets shop, dog breeding centres in Delhi to face closure if they fail to register with Animal Board within a month

NEW DELHI: All pet shops and dog breeding centres in the national capital have to register with the Delhi Animal Welfare Board within one month or face closure for non-compliance, according to a public notice.

The move comes in the wake of the Delhi High Court order to ensure accountability and compliance with the laws of the land, and has been welcomed by animal rights activists.

In its public notice dated November 6, the Delhi Animal Welfare Board has mandated that all pet shops and dog breeding centres in the National Capital Territory of Delhi register their establishments within one month.

Failure to comply will result in the shutdown of non-registered establishments, as per rules outlined in the Dog Breeding and Marketing Rules, 2017, and the Pet Shop Rules, 2018, both under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, it said.

The Board has enabled online registration via the e-district portal for ease of access, the notice reads.

The move is aimed at bolstering animal welfare and ensuring compliance with legal standards, according to the Board.

Speaking about the notice, Asher Jesudoss, Member of the Executive Committee of the Board, told PTI, "The Dog Breeding & Marketing Rules, 2017, and the Pet Shop Rules, 2018, make it mandatory for pet shops and dog breeding institutions across the country to be registered with the State Animal Welfare Board. It is illegal for any such institution to operate without this registration."

"Our team visited several pet shops and noted numerous violations in these establishments, including inadequate safety measures, poor hygiene, and inhumane living conditions for animals," Jesudoss said.

Following an order from the Delhi High Court to ensure accountability and compliance with the laws of the land, the department has intensified its efforts through newspaper advertisements, he said.

He also mentioned that the department plans to broadcast this information on radio and FM channels to reach as many establishment owners as possible, encouraging them to register with the Board.

"Any establishment that fails to register within one month of this notice will face closure and sealing as per the rules framed under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960," Jesudoss added.

Meanwhile, Kartick Satyanarayan, Co-founder of Wildlife SOS and executive member of Friendicoes, said it "is a welcome move for pet owners as it will help eradicate cruelty and the illegal trafficking of exotic pets, and ensure better welfare and care for animals housed in pet shops as well as with breeders".

"Mandatory registration of dog breeders will also help streamline health checks and promote ethical pet ownership. Unethical breeding in puppy mills often produces puppies with birth defects, genetic issues, and compromised health, leading to pain and suffering for the animals and burdening pet owners with costly veterinary care," he said.

"This sometimes results in large-scale abandonment of pets with health and behaviour issues at shelters like Friendicoes, which then become financially burdened.

"Therefore, mandatory registration for dog breeders and pet shops by the national regulatory body will help address these unethical practices that plague our community. This is the need of the hour," Satyanarayan emphasised.

Animal activist Ridhima Saraswat also highlighted the urgency of enforcing registration for pet shops and dog breeding centres across the city.

"There are numerous pet and dog breeding shops in the city that operate while often neglecting basic standards. Many of these shops house animals in poor living conditions, with compromised hygiene and inadequate safety measures, like a lack of fire equipment," she said.

"Different breeds are often crammed together, creating stressful and unsafe environments. The people running these shops are also typically untrained, which underscores the need for strict enforcement of registration," Saraswat added.