CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu government to formulate a policy and rules for regulating dog breeding in the state in order to avert unethical practices.
Justice Anita Sumanth passed the order recently on a batch of petitions seeking the quashing of the ban on import of foreign canines for commercial and breeding purposes imposed by the director general of foreign trade (DGFT).
The judge recorded that the state, impleaded by the court, filed a status report on February 28, 2023, confirming that framing of regulations for the breeding of dogs for commercial purposes will be examined in consultation with the Tamil Nadu Animal Welfare Board, Tamil Nadu Animal Sciences and Veterinary University and other statutory bodies.
Saying that let this process be initiated forthwith, the judge directed the Secretary of Animal Husbandry, Dairying, Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare department to “formulate a breeding policy and rules for regulation of breeding in Tamil Nadu” within eight weeks.
She set aside the 2016 notification banning the import of foreign dogs for commercial purposes and breeding. “I am persuaded to adopt the view and conclude that the impugned notification was issued without necessary scientific study and due diligence as called for. In light of the discussion as above, the impugned notification is set aside and these writ petitions are allowed.”
The judge observed that while she had no doubts in her mind, all steps must be taken to protect and perpetrate original, native Indian breeds, this cannot be achieved by placing an embargo on the import of foreign dogs for commercial purposes.
The petitions were filed by the Kennel Club of India (KCI), the Madras Canine Club (MCC) and CR Bhaalakkrishna Bhat challenging the DGFT’s ban order. Senior counsels R Srinivas and V Selvaraj, representing the petitioners, argued the ban was premised on a policy that is perverse, uninformed, incorrect and detrimental to the interests of the country, particularly dog lovers. The ban was imposed on the ground that foreign dogs would contaminate native breeds and lead to the spread of diseases.