The constant barking of native and foreign breeds in the 35-year-old dog breeding unit (DBU) at Saidapet here will soon stop as the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) has recommended its closure.
A letter from the AWBI has requested the clinician of the unit to implement the recommendations and suggestions made by the Inspection Team and furnish an action taken report to the AIWB at the earliest.
The Animal Husbandry Department, however, has asked the AIWB to reconsider its decision and allow the functioning of the DBU launched in 1980 to preserve and promote local breeds, including Rajapalayam, Chippiparai and Combai.
While the breeding programme of Combai was stopped because of the breed’s aggressive nature and return of puppies by those who bought from the unit, it subsequently started breeding Doberman, Rottweiler, Labrador and Dalmatian.
In fact one of the recommendations of the AIBA was against selling of native and other breeds known for their aggressiveness at a time when breed-specific legislation in towns and countries around the world are banning such breeds.
“With stray dogs already crowding Tamil Nadu’s streets, it is irresponsible for a government-sponsored facility to produce sick, potentially inbred animals to be sold to any person willing to buy them, without any sort of background checks,” said Manilal Valliyate, People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India Director of Veterinary Affairs.
The inspection team had found prevalence of health problems particularly skin diseases and high mortality rate due to inbreeding depression, prevalence of pressure sores and ectoparasites, continuous confinement, lack of opportunity for socialisation and adequate exercise.
The DBU was charged with non-compliance of important terms and conditions set by AWBI while registering dogs. Another charge against the DBU was the absence of a breeding policy and Standard Operating Procedure to prevent indiscriminate breeding, in-breeding depression and to serve the original objective of conservation and promotion of native breed.
A doctor working for the Animal Husbandry Department denied the practice of inbreeding.
“When we sell all the puppies, where comes the question of in-breeding,” he asked.
Asked about the aggressiveness of local breeds, he said every dog had a special trait and requirement and one could not expect a Rajapalayam to behave like a Labrador.
The AWBI also has strongly recommended against breeding of common foreign breeds such as Doberman, Dalmatian, Rottweiler and Labrador as they required no conservation.
Animal Husbandry Department has asked AWBI to reconsider its decision and allow the functioning of the unit to preserve and promote local breeds
