Dogs can now only be imported for keeping as household pets or by research and development (R&D) organisations, for research, or by India’s defence and police force for internal security, the Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) notified on Monday, reported [http://www.livemint.com/Politics/JM6zLUUYpdnm07PZGdZP7H/India-bans-import-of-dogs-for-breeding.html *Mint*].

Environmental organisation had been demanding, for years, to put an end to the import of dogs for breeding and other commercial purposes. According to the notification, a valid pet book and documents in the name of the importer are now mandatory to effect an import of dogs.

R&D organisations will have to show that the Committee for the Purpose of Control And Supervision of Experiments on Animals recommends a dog import for research.