Bengaluru: The BBMP, which is facing a severe backlash for its “one apartment, one dog” proposal, is now discussing ways to keep a check on illegal dog breeders in the city.
Many dog breeders have cropped up in the city, as it is a huge money making business, with dogs selling for Rs 3,000 to Rs 1 lakh. But most of these breeders are unregistered, indulge in illegal practices, don’t take care of the dogs’ health and sell diseased dogs to unsuspecting customers.
A senior BBMP officer, who did not want to be named, said, “For now, the rule of one dog per home is on hold and will be discussed in the council. But we want to keep a check on illegal dog breeding, as we have received a number of complaints. We are collecting information about breeders and discussing ways to carry out surprise checks to see if they are registered breeders. A meeting of senior officials will be held and then a decision will be taken on conducting raids.”
Tony Freer, the founder-trustee of Haven Animal Welfare Trust, said, “The city has several breeders who are not registered. Every breeder should provide a dog licence to the buyer at the time of selling a dog, but it is not happening now. The BBMP should take stringent measures against the illegal business.”
He said, “It will be useful if the BBMP keeps a strict vigil on these breeders, who use the dogs to breed and later abandon them. The officials should start implementing rules like no dogs should be made to mate more than thrice, the dogs should be vaccinated and their health should be checked regularly. The breeders should have enough space for the dogs, as most of them are crammed into small places. The Palike should also bring in more relevant rules to regulate the business. It is a serious issue and we hope the BBMP wakes up and starts taking action against illegal breeders.”
He said that on an average day, two well-known breeds of dogs are found abandoned on the city’s roads either by the people or the breeders.
