An illegal dog boarding and training centre in Thane has been served a closure notice after a dog was allegedly assaulted at the facility in January, leaving the animal blinded in one eye.

A Golden Retriever and a Toy Poodle breed dogs, which were lodged at the ‘Dogs and Me, Pet’s Resort and Training School’, were allegedly beaten by the facility’s staff members in December. The assault resulted in permanent vision loss for Dollar, the Toy Poodle, following which the owner and staff members of the boarding facility were booked by the Vartak Nagar police.

Following the FIR, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India collaborated with the Thane Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), the Maharashtra Animal Welfare Board (MAWB), Vartak Nagar Police, and the Thane Municipal Corporation to shut the illegal facility down. The Thane SPCA issued a closure notice, instructing the facility’s operator to cease operations immediately and return all dogs in their custody to their rightful guardians.

Sunayana Basu, Cruelty Response Coordinator at PETA India, said, “We applaud the authorities for taking action against this facility, which was operating illegally and reportedly subjecting dogs to severe cruelty. Dogs are loving, social, and sensitive beings who deserve compassion and respect. Training should always be based on positive reinforcement, never intimidation or violence.”

Under the Dog Breeding and Marketing Rules, 2017, all boarding kennels must be registered with the relevant state animal welfare board. Additionally, a letter dated December 18, 2020 from Dr. Dhananjay Parkale, the then Additional Commissioner of Animal Husbandry and Member Secretary of the Maharashtra Animal Welfare Board (MAWB), underscored the legal mandate for shutting down unlicensed pet shops and dog breeding establishments.

Addressed to all District Collectors cum chairpersons of the district SPCAs, the directive explicitly called for the immediate closure of such illegal facilities. It further instructed all district deputy commissioners of animal husbandry cum member secretaries of the strict SPCAs to ensure that no pet shop or dog breeding establishment is allowed to operate without a valid MAWB license.

PETA India urged guardians to take the help of trusted friends and family members to look after their companion animals where possible. “Minimally, a pet boarding service must be asked to prove it is registered with the state board and the guardian must take other steps to verify a facility’s credentials, conduct personal visits, and seek references to ensure that animals are not confined in cages or mistreated. Similarly, when choosing a dog trainer, guardians should confirm their qualifications and ensure they use only reward-based, non-violent training methods,” said a spokesperson.