Pet shops continue to mushroom in Puducherry, flouting rules

State Animal Welfare Board has met only once during its tenure

More than three years after the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Pet Shop) Rules, 2018, was notified by the Centre making it mandatory for pet shops to be registered with the respective State Animal Welfare Board (SAWB), not even a single pet shop in Puducherry has registered so far, according to officials. 

The Centre had notified rules setting standards for animal housing and care across the country. The rule mandates that no person can operate a pet shop or carry on with the business of trade in pets without a certificate of registration from the board. 

Under the rules, pet shop owners have to register with the board within 60 days. The rules mandate that the local authority (municipalities) cannot issue licence for pet shops without a certificate of registration from the board. 

An official said that a number of pet shops had mushroomed in Puducherry over the last few years and most of them had been functioning illegally. 

“As many as 102 pet shops are functioning in Puducherry. All the shops have trade licences alone but are selling animals including pedigree dogs and birds without registering with the Animal Husbandry Department. The owners are of the opinion that a trade licence alone is sufficient to run their business,” he said. 

The official added that people intending to set up pet shops must approach the SAWB for registration following which a veterinarian would inspect the shop. A licence is issued to them only if the conditions notified by the Centre are fulfilled. However, the shops seem to be having a free run all these years. 

Sources in the Animal Husbandry Department said that the Union Territory of Puducherry State Animal Welfare Board had met only once during its tenure since it was constituted last year.