Revision as of 18:13, 29 June 2017

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960

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Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960; The Times of India, Dec 25, 2016

2017 rules

Vishwa Mohan, Public aquaria, dog breeding registry now a must to fight animal cruelty, May 28, 2017: The Times of India

All aquaria in public areas or shops selling fish for aquariums anywhere in the country will have to get registered and follow certain do's and don'ts to ensure that these aquatic creatures are kept in hygienic conditions.

The government has made registration compulsory by notifying new rules to regulate aquarium and fish tank animals (live fish or other live aquatic animals) under provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. Local animal welfare boards will have the power to grant registration.

The registration rules are, however, not meant for people who keep aquariums inside their homes or private areas.The rules will only be applicable for aquariums on public display or for shops selling fish tank animals.

“Though such registration is not meant for people having aquariums inside their houses, they are also supposed to adhere to certain do's and don'ts to prevent cruelty . They must procure fish tank animals only from registered shops,“ said Gauri Maulekhi whose petition in the Delhi high court resulted in the notification of new rules.

As far as dog breeding is concerned, the rules mandate obtaining of a certificate of registration from local animal welfare board for breeding activity , ow ning or housing dogs for breeding or for sale of dogs and pups.

Under the Dog Breeding and Marketing Rules, such a certificate will be valid for a period of one year and it will not be transferable. The rules require the breeder to maintain records of all the animals housed in an establishment including the dogs being used for breeding and for sale.

Fine for animal cruelty

The Times of India, Mar 18, 2016

Paltry fine of Rs 50 allows abusers to get away with animal cruelty

Those who attacked and fractured a leg of Shaktiman, a police horse during a protest in Dehradun may have to pay a fine of only Rs 50 for the cruelty caused to the animal under the prevention of cruelty to animals act of 1960. If he or anyone else repeats such cruelty then the punishment is only a fine of up to Rs 100 or imprisonment for three months or both. Animal rights activists said Shaktiman has brought to the fore how abuse of animals is taken with little seriousness. They highlight how neither Congress nor BJP amended the archaic law to upgrade the penalties.

"Under the PC act such abuse is a non-cognizable bailable offence. The punishment in cases of animal abuse have to be compoundable. Just recently two truckloads of camel meat was seized in Mewat and the fine they had to pay was only Rs 100," said Gauri Maulekhi of People for Animals (PFA).

There are hardly any convictions of cases related to cruelty to animals. "I have filed several RTIs to get data on convictions but there is no record. I can say that less than 2% are convicted in Delhi and far lesser in other states," she added. Maulekhi also said even violations like use of oxytocin in dairy or cruelty caused during performances by animals all fall under the Rs 50 fine bracket.

In contrast, the draft animal welfare bill 2011, has far more stringent clauses. For cruelty to animals, it prescribes a fine of up to Rs 25,000 or imprisonment up to two years or both and for repeat offences a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh and imprisonment up to three years. The bill has not been enacted. It was resisted by researchers for the stringent clauses it spelt out for care of laboratory animals. NG Jayasimha, lawyer and member of Animal Welfare Board of India said the attacker in Shaktiman's case may be given a stricter punishment because there are charges of disrupting police duty against him.