India is home to millions of stray dogs and cats, making it a practical and humane choice to rescue and adopt them instead of buying from breeders. “Adoption helps address the issue of stray animals, reduces abandoned pets, and curbs unnecessary breeding,” said Dr Piyush Patel, director of companion animals and engagement at Humane Society International in India, and added that commercial breeders often prioritise profit over animal welfare, leading to questionable behaviour and health problems in pets.
However, in many households, cats, dogs, and fish remain the most common pets. Yet, there is a lesser-known fact—some animals are legally prohibited from being kept as pets in India. Sumanth Bindumadhav, director of the wildlife team at Humane Society International in India, listed 10 species that cannot be kept as pets in our country:
Star Tortoises: Known for their attractive shell patterns, star tortoises are often sought after as pets but are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
Parakeets: Popular varieties like rose-ringed, Alexandrian, and plum-headed parakeets are protected species, making it illegal to keep them as pets.
Snakes: Many snake species, such as red sand boas, are in high demand in the pet trade but are protected and cannot legally be kept as pets.
Jackals: Often associated with superstitions about good luck, keeping jackals or their body parts is illegal.
Slender Loris: Their small size and cute appearance make them popular in the pet trade, but they are protected under Indian law.
Macaques: Bonnet macaques, frequently bought as babies, are abandoned when they grow challenging to handle. It is a protected species as well.
Munias: Multiple species of munias, ranging from scaly-breasted to others, are very popular as pets but protected under the law and hence illegal to keep as pets.
Owls: Barn owls and spotted owlets are popular but are crucial to ecosystems and are protected by law.
Jungle cat: Jungle kittens are often sold as house cats to unknowing individuals. These are protected by law and hence prohibited as pets.
Spiny-tailed lizards: These lizards, endemic to west India, are critical to their ecosystem and are illegal to keep as pets.
Beyond their legal protection, these animals play critical roles in their ecosystems and have highly specific needs based on their natural habitats. Keeping them as pets compromises their health and welfare, said Bindumadhav.
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