Mumbai’s Puppy Cuddles Dog Café Shut Down Following PETA India Complaint, Mumbai District SPCA Orders

For Immediate Release:

2 December 2021

Contacts:

Meet Ashar; [email protected]

Hiraj Laljani; [email protected]

Mumbai – Following a complaint forwarded by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals India that dogs were being caged, hit, and denied adequate food at Puppy Cuddles Dog Café and based on a complaint filed by the group with the Maharashtra Animal Welfare Board (MAWB) and the Mumbai District Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), the SPCA issued a notice to the owner of the dog café to shut it down. It also directed that the café cannot operate because it does not have the required permission from the relevant authorities. The café has since closed its doors and so far not reopened.

“PETA India commends the SPCA for responding to the complaint that the dogs were being caged and hit,” says PETA India Emergency Response Team Associate Manager Meet Ashar. “Dogs are not toys or props, and it is never acceptable to cage or mistreat them. A crowded café would also be overwhelming for the dogs and isn’t a suitable home for them.”

It was reported that Puppy Cuddles Dog Café used to provide dog boarding services. A boarding kennel operator is required to be registered with the State Animal Welfare Board, in this case the MAWB, as mandated by the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Dog Breeding and Marketing) Rules, 2017, and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960. As per the Rules, to register with the MAWB, the establishment must qualify under certain terms and conditions which are intended to protect animals. Failing to provide dogs with adequate exercise or caging them in an enclosure that doesn’t provide sufficient opportunity for movement is an apparent violation of the PCA Act and the 2017 Rules.

PETA India advises that those who are looking for a sitter for their dog should choose a trusted friend or relative. And when it’s absolutely necessary to seek the help of a boarding facility, you must visit, get references, and do everything possible to ensure that your dog will not be caged or otherwise abused there.

A dog café is not a suitable environment for animals because they are in a confined space with a revolving population of strangers, which may cause them stress. Animals need a stable home environment, where they have the freedom to move around and choose the activities that they enjoy doing, rather than being handled constantly, like in a café.

For more information, please visit PETAIndia.com.

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