The Division Bench of Chief Justice Indrajit Mahanty and Justice SG Chattopadhyay of High Court of Tripura ordered closure of all the 12 pet shops and breeding centres in the city. The order came following a PIL in this regard.
These pet shops were running without necessary license from the Animal Resource Development department.
“This court records its surprise that once the authority has found the 12 (twelve) pet shops and breeding centres as being unlicensed, they were statutorily required to act in accordance with law and direct immediate closure of all such activities which cannot be carried out without the necessary licence,” the Court observed. .
The High Court observed that the 12 shop owners had been asked to obtain a licence from the State Animal Welfare Board but they failed to do it. The court further directed that the ARDD as well as the state animal welfare board and the Agartala municipal corporation to ensure that all such illegal pet shops and all breeding centres to carry out necessary inspection out when an application was made by any pet shop and if the same are found to be in order and then alone licences can be granted to them.
The court directed the compliance of the directions and submission of a report in two weeks time.
“This court is further informed at the Bar that there appears also to be commercial activities in sale of wild animals and birds duly notified under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Accordingly, we also direct the authorities under the Wildlife (Protection) Act to take similar action of closure of all such shops where animals and birds covered thereunder are being sold and such compliance order shall also be filed before this court within a period of two weeks.” the court directed.
