Guest guest Posted February 25, 2005 Report Share Posted February 25, 2005 Well I'm not overly optimistic, but this is definitely a step in the right direction. Let's just hope it's not ambiguous (police have trouble interpreting the present law) and that it has some teeth. Jeff Bryant ARK > TJ <tjintokyo > February 25, 2005 10:12:32 AM JST > AngelsWithFur > [AngelsWithFur] Good news in today's Yomiuri > AngelsWithFur > > > Better late than never, but sooner would be best. Glad to hear this > is bill will be discussed this session. Here's hoping the postal > privatization brouhaha will not hold this (IMO more important bill) > up. > taj > > Bill seeks screening for owners of pet shops > > Yomiuri Shimbun > > Pet businesses are to be licensed and would-be proprietors vetted > before being allowed to open a business to ferret out unscrupulous > business operators and prevent cruelty to animals. > > To enable these provisions, and to give local governments the > authority to close businesses and revoke the licenses of pet > businesses that fail to meet requirements, the Liberal Democratic > Party compiled a bill Wednesday to revise the Animal Protection Law. > > This will replace the current system under which a company or > individual need only notify the authorities when the shop opens. > > The LDP, with the support of coalition partner New Komeito, plans to > submit the bill to the current Diet session. > > There have been calls for stricter administration of pet businesses > following reports of pet shop owners overcrowding cages and > abandoning the bodies of dead pets. > > According to Environment Ministry figures, the number of pet-related > businesses, including retailers, leasing companies and pet hotels, is > increasing by about 1,000 every year, and now totals more than > 15,000. > > About 10 percent of these businesses have been subject to > administrative guidance by local governments for failing to disinfect > and maintain pest control or for keeping animals in cramped > conditions. Many complaints have also been received from people > living near pet businesses. > > In addition to regulating shops on the high street, the revised law > would regulate online and mail order business, which are currently > unregulated. > > In some cases, pet businesses have refused to talk to local > government instructors, claiming the operator was absent. > > The revised law would require employees charged with looking after > pets at pet businesses to attend training lectures held by local > governments. > > The bill also includes measures that require the operators of such > establishments pet owners to keep pets in humane conditions. > > Under the bill, a permit would be required to keep dangerous animals > such as crocodiles and monkeys. Such animals would also have to have > a microchip implanted under their skin containing details on the > animal's owner, so the owner could be held accountable if the animal > is abandoned or escapes. > > The owner would be liable for any damages caused by errant pets. > > However, dogs and cats will be exempt from the implantation > requirement because the public would be opposed to it. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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