Wednesday June 16, 12:03 PM
Gov't mulls controlling online pet brokers
The Environment
Ministry is studying controlling Internet pet brokers without
breeding facilities under a revised animal protection law, ministry
officials said Wednesday.
The ministry, regarding such brokers as animal traders, hopes to
put them under the scope of the Protection and Keeping of Animals
Law, which now refers only to pet shops and breeders with equipment
for breeding and housing animals.
The ministry is also planning to strengthen penalties against
illegal animal traders, they said.
Over the last few years in Japan, problems involving Internet pet
dealers and their customers have been reported, according to the
officials. The ministry aims to prevent such troubles.
Pet care shops and pet delivery transport companies might also be
regarded as animal traders, as are pet sellers, and subject to the
law since the ministry is aware of such problems as animal suffering
during transport, and nuisances caused by pet beauty parlors.
The ministry will study raising the maximum fine for violators
from the current 300,000 yen, making public the names of offenders
and improving legal powers, including orders to suspend business.
|
