HC directs TN govt to close dog breeding unit

The Madras High Court has directed the state government to close down the dog breeding unit run by the state Animal Husbandry Department here within two months of issue of the order.

The First Bench, comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M Sathyanarayanan, said dogs in the unit at Saidapet would be rehabilitated with the assistance of the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI).

The court's order came while disposing of two PILs of People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, Mumbai, and E Seshan on December 7.

It had earlier made it clear that the unit would be shutdown if it does not comply with the recommendations of the AWBI.
 

The petitioners had alleged that the unit was run in contravention of the Prevention of the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1980 and the rules framed thereunder. It was set up in 1980-81 with a view to preserving the native dog breeds of the state-- Rajapalayam, Chippiparai, Kombai, while at present it was even breeding foreign dogs, the petitioners said.

The AWBI carried out an inspection and found that the functioning of the unit was not in accordance "with the manner in which it has to be run. In fact, the unit is not even registered with the Animal Welfare Board of India, violating the rules."

"The recommendation in fact is for shutting down the unit on account of cruelty and illegality and funding used by the breeding unit is recommended to be directed towards the State Animal Birth Control Programmes that encourage the adoption of dogs from animal shelters or in streets."

The petitions sought a direction to Secretary, Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries Department to shut down the unit.

The petitioners further sought a direction to hand over the dogs to the petitioners "for sufficient treatment and care they desperately need before being adopted into loving 'forever' homes.

When the matter came up last week, the bench perused the inspection report of AWBI and its recommendations and directed that the unit be shutdown within two months of issue of the order.

The petition filed by Seshan had sought a direction to the unit to provide proper expert medical care, food, exercise and maintenance to the dogs without they being subjected to any cruelty as defined under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.