Here’s a news that all the dog lovers (not to be confused with breed lovers) would revel in ― India bans imports of foreign breed dogs for breeding and commercial purposes.
The Indian government has placed a ban on importing dogs for commercial purposes including breeding. The move from the Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) comes after a strong demand from environmental organisations and animal rights groups.
Only defense and security forces are allowed to import certain breeds. As for the Indian nationals and foreigners bringing their dogs from outside, they’d be required to carry all the necessary documents when travelling into the country.
India bans import of dogs for breeding
Under the new rules, all dog breeders must now be registered, and the facilities being used to house the dogs need to be open for state inspections. We can only hope this is put to practice and doesn’t just become paperwork sans power. If implemented, this would indeed help reduce the abuse and suffering of the dogs and force breeders to provide at least the most basic care.
The Law Commission, in its 2015 report stated, “many animals do not survive the trauma of being transported in small cages without adequate water or food, and estimates suggest that, overall, 40% of animals die in captivity or transportation.”
Also read: Why desi dogs are the best for Indian conditions
Lately, it has become a casual (but tastelessly callous) sight to spot Siberian Huskies or St Bernard(s) on Delhi roads, a dark and desolate divergence from the Siberian and Swiss landscapes respectively. These pedigree pups are often abandoned because of the ‘owners’ inability to maintain them in harsh Indian climates, adding to ever-growing stray dog population in India.
Breeding dogs in India typically live in deplorable conditions. The vast majority of puppies sold in pet stores in India come from unethical breeders for whom pups are just a quick way of making money. They have no regard for animal rights and quite often unweaned puppies (less than two months old) are sold to consumers without any registration or records. It is even cruel on the whelping mothers who go through forced impregnations continuously, harming the mother as well as the puppies.
The new regulations will also set age and sterilization requirements before dogs are sold, and will regulate the number of litters each female dog can produce. We hope this dictum bans the breeder business for good. What would add to this ruling would be a regulation on more than 3,00,000 pet shops in India.
Looking for a dog, consider adopting, please!