Government releases draft Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Dog Breeding and Marketing) Rules, 2016

The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has released draft notification of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Dog Breeding and Marketing Rules), 2016.
The objective of the Rules is to make dog breeders and their marketers accountable and to prevent infliction of any cruelty on dogs in this process.

What is the issue?

In recent times dog breeding and their marketing trade also mushroomed all around but with little or no accountability. This is for the first time Government has framed rules on the breeding, sale and purchase of dogs in the country. Earlier there were also no specific rules for mandatory registration of breeders and establishments and requirements to be met by such breeders. These rules have been framed in pursuance of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960 to prevent infliction of unnecessary pain, or suffering on animals.

Proposed Rules

• Mandatory for all dog breeders and dog breeding establishments to register themselves with the State Animal Welfare Board (SAWB). Defines the breeding requirements and conditions for sale.
• Defines the requirements such as health-related requirements, housing facilities, manner of housing dogs, conditions for sale, breeding, micro-chipping, vaccination etc. of dogs to be met by the breeders and establishments used for breeding. Allows SAWB inspector authorised to inspect the establishment.
• Mandatory for dog breeders to maintain proper records of both female and male dogs, their breed, number of litters, micro-chip number, sale, purchase, death, rehabilitation etc.
• Every dog breeder is required to submit yearly report to the SAWB regarding animals sold, bartered, traded, given away, exhibited during previous year or any other information asked for by the board.
• Non-compliance of the proposed Rules by will lead dog breeders and dog breeding establishments will result in cancellation of the registration of the dog breeder.

Month: Current Affairs - January, 2017