By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: People for Animal has sought action against Illegal Pet Shops in Odisha. PFA State secretary JB has written to The Director, AH & VS-cum Member Secretary SAWB, Odisha in this regard. He also shared the copy of the letter to Chief Secretary, Odisha, Principal Secretary to Govt., F&ARD, Odisha, Secretary to CM (5T), Odisha.
“This is to inform you that in Odisha and specifically Bhubaneswar and Cuttcak there are number of illegal Pet shops selling Puppies, Birds, Rabbits etc. violating all Pet shops rules under Prevention of Cruelty Act (Pet Shops) rules 2018 notified by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate change, Govt. of India. As per the notification No.FARD-VP-10VA-0072-2015/7884 dated 17.07.2020 all Pet shops should obtain the certificate of registration from State Animal Welfare Board within the Sixty days from the date of notification as per provision under rule-3 of the Pet shop rule. But no shop having this permission and illegal trading going on. They are also selling some protected species under Wildlife Protection Act 1972 which is also a crime and punishable under this Act. In a survey we found that the shops selling birds and animals don’t have any proper record from where they have getting the species for selling here in the market,” PFA said in its letter.
It said, “They don’t have any health records of animals and birds. They are keeping the animals and birds in a very cruel manner as the space of the cages is very small and not following the specifications under said rule. They are violating all the Pet shop rules. In this high temperature summer many birds and animals dying and suffering from different disease. They are also cheating the customers and selling the diseased species because Govt. doesn’t regulating their illegal trading as per Pet shop rules.As per notification No. 122/SPCA dated 22.07.2020 the Block Veterinary Officer of the concern block will act as the authorised representative of SAWB to inspect the Pet shops. No Pet shop can keep and sale any species before obtaining certificate of registration.But none of these shops following this rule which should be inspected and seized the illegal possession of birds and animals,’
‘Under the above circumstances we request to regulate illegal Pet shops and action may be taken as per the provisions under the rule to save our animal and bird species before they extinct,’ it added.
