NEWS & OPINIONS
Can I Breed My Dog? Home Breeding Laws in India
Mating is often seen as a natural experience that every dog should experience once in their life. But is it legal? Pet Parent & Lawyer Mridula I weighs in.
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Simply put, home breeding is when you let your pet dog mate and have puppies, intentionally or unintentionally, with other pet dogs or with community dogs in your locality.
As pet parents, we may look at dog mating as a natural part of life and allow our dogs to experience it at least once in their lifetime. Often, we may consider dog mating simply to oblige people asking us for cute babies of our adorable furballs. While we may innocently or otherwise think that there is no harm in letting our dogs mate, have puppies and then give those puppies to friends and families and in some cases even sell them for money, the legal ramifications of this may not be in our favour.
Before we delve into the legalities of dog mating in India, we must also note the moral issue of letting our male dogs mate with community dogs and adding to the already unmanageable population of dogs on the streets. Apart from this, we should be mindful of the repercussions unsupervised and amateur dog mating can have on our current dogs’ health, with the possibility of infections and sexually transmitted diseases during the process and severe health risks involved with canine pregnancy.
While there may be more than one reason to discourage home breeding, did you know that it may also be illegal to do so?
As pet parents, we may look at dog mating as a natural part of life and allow our dogs to experience it at least once in their lifetime. Often, we may consider dog mating simply to oblige people asking us for cute babies of our adorable furballs. While we may innocently or otherwise think that there is no harm in letting our dogs mate, have puppies and then give those puppies to friends and families and in some cases even sell them for money, the legal ramifications of this may not be in our favour.
Before we delve into the legalities of dog mating in India, we must also note the moral issue of letting our male dogs mate with community dogs and adding to the already unmanageable population of dogs on the streets. Apart from this, we should be mindful of the repercussions unsupervised and amateur dog mating can have on our current dogs’ health, with the possibility of infections and sexually transmitted diseases during the process and severe health risks involved with canine pregnancy.
While there may be more than one reason to discourage home breeding, did you know that it may also be illegal to do so?
What is Considered Legal Dog Breeding in India?
Dog breeding and sale of dogs in India is governed by the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Dog Breeding and Marketing) Rules, 2017 and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Pet Shop) Rules, 2018.
According to the Dog Breeding Rules, legal breeders are those who have obtained a certificate of registration from their respective State Animal Welfare Board for the breeding and sale of the dogs (irrespective of gender) kept by them. The registration requirement imposes several compliances on those who have registered themselves as legal breeders including, conditions of sale, knowledge about reproduction and breeding ethics, restriction on age limits for breeding, prohibitions on inbreeding, etc.
No other form of dog breeding, except licensed breeding has been recognised under any law in India and neither has home breeding been treated as an exception.
While home breeding hasn’t explicitly been called illegal under the relevant laws, it is important to understand the spirit of the law in this context. Hence, any person who breeds or mates their pet dogs without a breeding licence and following other legalities may be treated as an illegal breeder and could violate the above rules. In the same context, the sale of puppies from home litters may also result in a breach of laws.
According to the Dog Breeding Rules, legal breeders are those who have obtained a certificate of registration from their respective State Animal Welfare Board for the breeding and sale of the dogs (irrespective of gender) kept by them. The registration requirement imposes several compliances on those who have registered themselves as legal breeders including, conditions of sale, knowledge about reproduction and breeding ethics, restriction on age limits for breeding, prohibitions on inbreeding, etc.
No other form of dog breeding, except licensed breeding has been recognised under any law in India and neither has home breeding been treated as an exception.
While home breeding hasn’t explicitly been called illegal under the relevant laws, it is important to understand the spirit of the law in this context. Hence, any person who breeds or mates their pet dogs without a breeding licence and following other legalities may be treated as an illegal breeder and could violate the above rules. In the same context, the sale of puppies from home litters may also result in a breach of laws.
Image courtesy: unsplash.com
What Happens If My Dog Accidentally Mates with Another Dog?
Irrespective of the intention and the number of times, if your pet dog mates with another dog, you are likely to fall under the category of an illegal breeder and may be liable for penalties and punishments under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960. These could include the seizing of your pet dog and the newborn puppies by the State Animal Welfare Board and the SPCA. Suppose such mating comes to the knowledge of the State Animal Welfare Board, animal welfare activists or the municipal corporation. In that case, there is a possibility that strict action may be taken under the laws mentioned above, in addition to certain other laws.
The sale of puppies may also make you liable for contravention of the Pet Shop Rules, Shops and Establishment Rules and additional penalties thereunder. Hence, in such cases, it may be prudent to inform the concerned unit of your municipal corporation and the State Animal Welfare Board or the Honorary Animal Welfare Officer, who may suggest the appropriate protocol to be followed in cases of accidental dog mating.
Further, in cases of accidental mating, the pet parents may not be in a position to see through the adoption of multiple puppies into the right families. Hence, it may be beneficial for the puppies to follow the SPCA adoption formalities. Irrespective of whether the other dog is known or unknown, it may be best to consult your vet in such cases, especially for female dogs.
The sale of puppies may also make you liable for contravention of the Pet Shop Rules, Shops and Establishment Rules and additional penalties thereunder. Hence, in such cases, it may be prudent to inform the concerned unit of your municipal corporation and the State Animal Welfare Board or the Honorary Animal Welfare Officer, who may suggest the appropriate protocol to be followed in cases of accidental dog mating.
Further, in cases of accidental mating, the pet parents may not be in a position to see through the adoption of multiple puppies into the right families. Hence, it may be beneficial for the puppies to follow the SPCA adoption formalities. Irrespective of whether the other dog is known or unknown, it may be best to consult your vet in such cases, especially for female dogs.
Image courtesy:unsplash.com
How Does the Recent Dog Breed Ban in India Impact Dog Breeding Laws?
Recently, the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying issued a recommendation to states and municipal corporations to ban breeding, sale and import of certain 23 dog breeds. It is important to note that this ban is on the licensed breeding of those dogs. So, dog breeding at home was never permitted in the eyes of the law and hence hasn’t been specifically banned. The law has now been made stricter by recommending that all those who have these breeds as pets should get them sterilised to ensure no further breeding occurs, accidentally or intentionally.
While the actions being taken on home breeding until now may be sparse, given the current direction in which the laws are being framed and implemented, there is a high possibility of the penalties being much stricter in case of dog breeding, going forward.
While the actions being taken on home breeding until now may be sparse, given the current direction in which the laws are being framed and implemented, there is a high possibility of the penalties being much stricter in case of dog breeding, going forward.
What Should You Do If You Come Across Home Breeding or Sale of Home Litters?
In the first instance, you may want to help them understand the legalities surrounding dog breeding in our country. If you see repeat offences, you can get in touch with the local District Animal Welfare Officer or a local NGO or shelter to address the situation. You can also get in touch with AWBI by emailing them at support-awbi@gov.in.
Remember, if a fellow pet parent asks you, can I breed my dog? - make sure you share this article to help educate them on the laws regarding dog mating in our country. While neutering or spaying our dogs becomes a personal choice to an extent, mating our dogs may not be legally prudent.
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