Close pet shops in Crawford: PIL

The Bombay high court on Friday issued notice to the state government, police and other authorities, seeking their reply on a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking the closure of pet shops at Crawford Market and criminal action against those who sell exotic birds and other animals there. The petition has also urged the court to direct the government to rehabilitate the animals kept there.

While hearing the PIL filed through advocates Sanjukta Dey and Abhishek Yende, a division bench headed by Justice V.M. Kanade asked the state government and other authorities to respond within four weeks to the petition, which also sought direction to the Animal Welfare Board to frame rules to regulate pet shops in the state.

The petition stated that these animals were kept in barbaric conditions. There were rampant instances of puppies being taken away from their mothers before they could open their eyes and drugged to keep them from crying. Large birds were stuffed into small cages after their beaks were cut off with hot knives. Kittens were de-clawed with pliers so that they would not be able to scratch any surface. The petitioners said that the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act mandated three years’ imprisonment for such activities.

The petitioners cited a 2014 Supreme Court judgment which said that Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, i.e. right to life, applied not only to human beings but also to all living beings, including animals.

Citing provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, the PIL said that it was the duty of every person in charge of an animal “to take all reasonable measures to ensure the well-being of such an animal and prevent infliction of unnecessary pain or suffering on it”.