Govt bans live animal testing, imposes jail terms for cruelty

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has banned testing and surgeries on live animals at veterinary schools and industrial complexes and imposed jail terms and fines for animal cruelty.

Addressing a news conference, Head of Prime Minister’s Strategic Reforms Salman Suf said animal welfare was a major neglected area in the country and the existing animal welfare laws were being amended.

He said the government was introducing amendments to a British-era law to bring about the change as we still relied on a law dating to 1890 on animal welfare.

“There is a law from 1800, on the basis of which we have been monitoring animal welfare. Now, with the Prime Minister’s approval, an amendment is being made to the law,” Sufi explained.

The main features include disbanding of live testing of animals in any veterinary colleges, hotline to report cruelty with pets, fine and jail terms and regulation of pet markets.