• Every person with more than five cattle kept for the purpose of profit must be registered with the Veterinary Department of the state government or a local authority specified by the state government.
• Every registration application must supply full information on the number and types of animals to be kept, the size of the area in which they will be kept, flooring and ventilation, food and water supply, disinfection, drainage, waste disposal and any other relevant details.
• If the registering authority is satisfied about the welfare of the animals, the registration certificate will be issued.
• Every registration certificate is valid for three years, after which an application for renewal must be made.
• Every registered premises may at any time be inspected by an authorised veterinarian or public health officer of the local or state government.
• If the premises are not properly maintained, the registration can be cancelled.
• Wherever milch cattle are kept, the owner must display a copy in the local language of Section 12 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, prohibiting the use of phooka or doom dev.
• It is illegal to keep cattle chained to the railing of sidewalks. Under the law, milch animals are required to be provided proper shelter (PCA, Section 11). Under the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act 1954, tethering cattle on any public street in the city is prohibited. Such cattle may be confiscated under the Cattle Trespassing Act 1871.
• Dairy owners must provide proper shelter with provisions to protect the animals from heat, cold and rain (PCA, Section 11).
• Under the law, owners must provide adequate food (PCA, Section 11). Owners who leave their cattle to forage in rubbish dumps can be fined and jailed for up to three months. These cattle can be confiscated, and owners will have to pay a fine for their release. Dairies should be checked to make sure there are a sufficient number of food and water troughs.
• Under the State Cow Preservation Act, it is illegal to kill calves. Dairy owners who kill male calves may be fined, jailed or both. The dairy may also be closed down.
• It is illegal to administer animals any injurious drugs (PCA, Section 11), to use injections of any kind or to conduct any operation called phooka or doom dev to 'improve' lactation (PCA, Section 12). The use of oxytocin (a Schedule H drug which may not be purchased without a prescription) injections can be punished with a fine, jail time or both. The manufacturer, supplier and dairy can each be punished with a fine of Rs 1000 and up to two years in jail, and the animals may be confiscated.
• It is illegal to sell old, dry or sick dairy cattle for the purpose of slaughter (local cattle preservation acts). Offenders can be punished with a fine, a jail term or both.
• It is illegal to abandon old, dry or sick cattle (PCA, Section 11), as this puts them in circumstances likely to cause their death by starvation. The penalty is a fine of Rs 100 or three months in jail or both.
• No livestock may graze in any sanctuary area without being immunized.
• No livestock may graze in or enter national parks except those being used by an authorised person as a means of transport, as in the case of a bullock cart.
