Pet Animal & Pet Shop: Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Rules.

 

Pet Animal: Pet Animal includes the dog, cat, rabbit, guinea pig, hamster, rodents of the rat or mice category, pet birds and such other type of animals, the proprietorship of, an occupation in which, is not proscribed by any additional rules or regulations.

Pet Shop: A shop, place or sites, comprising any shop, place or sites in a weekly or another marketplace, where household animals are traded or housed, retained or revealed for sale, or where any trade or wholesale business containing the vending or trading of pet animals are performed and contains online platforms where the sale and buying of pet animals are taking placed wherever the context authorized.

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Pet Shop) Rules

In exercise of the powers conferred by the PCA Act, 1960, the Central Government notified the ‘Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Pet Shop) Rules, 2018’.

1.      Definitions

·         Act: The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.

·      Animal Welfare Organization: A welfare organization for animals recognized by the Board.

·      Breeder: An individual or group of persons who own pet animal for breeding and sale, and includes a boarding kennel operator, intermediate handler and trader.

·         Certificate of Registration: A certificate of registration issued under these rules.

·         Form: The form contained in the First Schedule.

·      Infirm Animal: Any animal that is suffering from any practical or biological disorder, defect or infirmity, or any insufficiency from birth, or attained after birth.

·     Inspector: A veterinarian of the State Government authorized in writing by the State Animal Welfare Board or SPCA; Provided that any person who is or has been a pet shop owner or breeder, or is associated with a pet shop proprietor or breeder, shall not be recognized as an inspector under these rules.

·      Local Authority: A municipal commission, SPCA or other authority for the time being participated by law with the control and administration of any matter within a quantified local area.

·       Pet Shop Owner: Any person who maintains or has control over any pet animal shop.

·    Veterinary Practitioner: A veterinarian registered under the provisions of the Indian Veterinary Council Act, 1984.

2.      Prohibition of Operating Pet Shops without Registration

a.   A certificate of registration in Form II is essential to carry on the business of the sale or trade-in household animals, whether retail or wholesale; or begin or activate a pet shop, or any other founding involved in the sale, buying or interchange of pet animals.

b.      Every pet shop owner shall prominently display the certificate of registration in the pet shop.

c.    Every pet shop owner shall keep the pet shop open for inspection by a supervisor sanctioned in writing by the State Board or the SPCA.

3.      Registration of Pet Shop

a.      Persons eligible for registration of pet shop includes individual, who has attained the age of maturity and is of sound mind and is not disqualified from contracting under any other law.

b.   An application in Form I for registration shall be made to the State Board along with a non-refundable fee of 5000 rupees.

c.    Separate applications are required for every pet shop or premises being used or intended to be used for carrying on or continuing the business of sale or trade-in pet animals, whether retail or wholesale.

d.      Pet shop owner shall submit an affidavit stating that all the conditions for registration of the pet shop has been fulfilled.

e.       The the veterinarian shall after making an inspection submit a signed report to the State Board.

4.      Renewal of Registration

An application for renewal of registration of pet shop shall be made, at least 30 days before the expiry of the registration, to the State Board in Form I.

5.      Accommodation, Infrastructure and Housing

a.  A pet shop shall be located within an everlasting structure or construction, with satisfactory arrangement for basic facilities such as water and energy, and suitable power back up.

b.      No person shall be permitted to control a pet shop on a shanty, shack, roadway or any temporary or makeshift planning.

c.       The attachments or rooms or birdcages in a pet shop shall be of suitable size and space as set out in the second schedule

6.      General Care of Animals, Veterinary Care and other Operational Requirements

Pet animals are at all times exhibited or kept for sale in housing and atmosphere appropriate to their species concerning condition, size, temperature, lighting, aeration and hygiene, and other similar ethics and no household animals or birds shall be at the exhibition or revealed outside pet shops, or in show openings.

7.      Maintenance of Records

Every pet shop proprietor shall preserve in a record book the following forms:

a.   Form V - The details of breeders and dealers of pet animals planned for sale, containing name, address, contact details, and date of transaction, and the number of pet animals approved, their type or class, and bird band no. if appropriate.

b.    Form VI - Customers buying pet animals, with names, addresses, contact details, and the details of pet animal purchased, and the price at which purchased, and the receipt issued.

c.     Form VII - Pet animals that die at the pet shop, with the day, date and time of death, and cause of death certified by a veterinary practitioner, and specifics of the medical consideration and care delivered to the ill household animal before its death proficient in writing by a veterinary practitioner, and a way of discarding carcasses.

d.    Form VIII - Incurably sick or terminally ill or mortally wounded pet animals that are euthanized, with the day, date and time of death, and cause of death certified by the veterinary practitioner and particulars of the medical consideration and care delivered to the deceased pet animal before its death, and way of discarding of carcasses.

8.      Non-compliance with these Rules

The State Board may, upon receiving of a written objection or otherwise, question into or get the objection queried into in inscription by the local expert or SPCA to found the nonconformity of these guidelines by the pet shop holders.

9.      Inspection of Establishment

The State Board may, either upon receipt of a complaint or for any other reason, cause any pet shop to be inspected by an inspector authorised in writing it on this behalf.

10.  Reports by Pet Shop

Every pet shop listed under these guidelines shall:

a.     Acquiesce at the termination of every year, a report to the State Board, containing the facts as to the total number of animals sold, traded, exchanged, brokered, given away, lodged, showed, deceased or euthanized, during the earlier year.

b.     Deliver to the State Board, such evidence as may be mandatory by the State Board, as the case may be from a different time.

11.  No License without Registration

No pet shop shall be granted a license by the local authority unless the pet shop has obtained a certificate of registration from the State Board following these rules.