SHWETA KAMAT
PANJIM: People who are in the business of pet animals in Goa will now have to register themselves with the State Animal Welfare Board (SAWB), mandatory guidelines set by the Union Ministry for Environment and Forest (MoEF) while notifying the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (pet shop) Rules, 2018.
A 60-days time frame is granted to the people, establishments, who are already in the business to get a registration certificate from the State Board, failing which their shops would be shut down. Animals confiscated from such shops will be sent to Animal Welfare Organizations, recognized by the SAWB, which is headed by Minister for Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services Mauvin Godinho. In absence of specific rules in place, the pet shops across the country including Goa are currently being operated without any regulations. As a result, many violate the rules set under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 by blatantly selling the wild animals.
“Pet shops, that are operating without a valid registration certificate or those that do not get a certificate within the specified time frame; will result in the sealing of the pet shop. Animals confiscated from such shops shall be sent to an animal welfare organization recognized by the board,” the notification said. Registration applications have to be made to the State Animal Welfare Board with a non-refundable fee of Rs 5,000. The pet shops that have applied for registration will be inspected by authorized teams and then the State board will recommend for the registration.
The rules provide standards for accommodation, infrastructure, housing, general care, veterinary care along with other operational requirements. Speaking to HERALD, a pet shop owner Martins said that currently this pet business is not a registered business. “Though we pay tax and register our shop with the local bodies, the pet shop registration as such from the State government is not there at present,” he said. He, however, claimed that such rules need to be mandatory for those big establishments, which are into large-scale pet business and not for those who sell only birds or fish.
Another pet shop operator Savio Menezes said that the decision of the Ministry is welcome but who will ensure that no harassment is meted to them at the time of granting registration certificates? “There is no question of cruelty to animals in pet shops. We take good care of them. They are like family. But even then it is a good decision to regulate the business,” he said. “But will Ministry ensure that the Board take call on the applications swiftly and that we will not be harassed?” he said.
