Bhubaneswar: The People for Animals (PFA), an animal welfare organisation, has urged the concerned Government authorities to close the pet shops which are running in violation of the Prevention of Cruelty Act (Pet Shops) Rules 2018, notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate change.
“In and around Bhubaneswar, there are number of illegal pet shops selling puppies, birds, rabbits etc. without following rules and even without being registered or availing permission from the State Animal Welfare Board or Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA),” said PFA secretary Jiban Ballav Das.
He said some pet shops are also selling protected species which is punishable under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.
Many shops don’t maintain records about sources of species and their health and even keep the animals and birds in a very protracted area like consumable goods.
During this summer, many birds and animals have died and many others are suffering from different disease. Besides, pet shop are also cheating customers selling diseased species.
A pet shop in Sahid Nagar recently sold a Golden Retriever Puppy to a customer named Ansuman Kar at Rs 19,000 on April 7, 2017. The puppy became ill the next day. A veterinarian detected that the puppy was suffering from Parvo viral Gastrointentis. The puppy died the following day on April 9.
It was later found that the shop owner had not vaccinated the puppy and maintained source and health records of it.
Das said though the PFA has written to the SPCA, Chief District Veterinary Officer, Khurda and the Secretary of the Fisheries and Animal Resources Development seeking actions against illegal pet shops, yet no action has been taken.
“The FPA will lodge FIRs against pet shops violating rules and cheating customers,” threatened Das.
