NEW DELHI: Dog breeders will have to register themselves with state animal welfare boards to be able to continue with their business, according to draft rules issued by the government. Breeders will also have to maintain records of both male and female dogs, their breed, micro-chip number, litters, sale & purchase, death and rehabilitation.
Every dog breeder will also be required to submit an annual report to the state animal welfare board regarding animals sold, traded, bartered, brokered, given away, boarded or exhibited during the year.
These are rules under the draft notification for prevention of cruelty to animals (dog breeding and marketing 2016) released by the ministry of environment, forests and climate change on Tuesday. Comments or objections can be made to the draft within 30 days. "Till now there were no rules in the country on the breeding, sale and purchase of dogs. I hope that the shops and sale and purchase of dogs will be made online," said environment minister Anil Madhav Dave.
Non-compliance of the rules will lead to cancellation of the registration of the dog breeder. The government has also laid down conditions regarding the age, medical care, pet-shop licences, recordkeeping and sterilisation of dogs for sale. Animal rights groups have welcomed the move.
"Tens of thousands of dogs are illegally bred in deplorable conditions without proper medical care. Often unweaned puppies less than 2 months of age are sold to unassuming customers without any registration or records. Whelping mothers are impregnated continuously that impacts their and the puppies' health," Humane Society International said.
