Delhi HC asks state govt to make stand clear on dog breeders

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Thursday asked the Delhi government to make its stand clear on the existence of dog breeders in the national capital in view of the illegal breeding claims.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela asked the Delhi government to file a status report indicating the action proposed to be taken against pet shop owners who were in violation of the relevant rules.

“It is contended that there are no breeders in Delhi and therefore, no further action is required under the breeding rules.” However, expressing its reservations given the “broad definition of breeders”, the bench directed the respondent to file an affidavit clearly stating its stand on the existence of breeders in Delhi and steps taken to ascertain if there were any such breeders within the NCT of Delhi.

The Delhi government counsel submitted an exercise for the registration of pet shop owners was being undertaken and it will be completed within 90 days.

The registration would be followed by steps to ensure compliance of the relevant rules and if any of the pet shop owners, registered or unregistered, were found in violation, necessary action would follow, the counsel said.

While asking the Delhi government about the action it proposed to take against the violators, the bench further asked it to indicate the status of the registration exercise.

The matter would be heard on May 7, 2025.

The court is hearing a PIL seeking control on illegal dog breeding centres in Delhi and earlier lamented that despite the plea being pending for the past six years and rising cases of dog bites, the animal husbandry department of Delhi government hadn’t taken any steps to check and control illegal dog breeding.

It asked the secretary of the animal husbandry department to file an affidavit listing out the measures undertaken and future steps to curb illegal dog breeding.

The court previously directed the authorities to file an affidavit disclosing the road map along with the timelines, clearly underlining how they intended to implement the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Pet Shop) Rules, 2018 and The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Dog Breeding and Marketing) Rules, 2017.