JOIN USUnion Minister for Environment and Forests Jayanthi Natarajan on Saturday said a show cause notice will be issued to a Bangalore-based firm, Advinus Therapeutics, for allegedly importing puppies from China and using them for experiments.
Natarajan, who was here to examine the puppies kept in a quarantine after being imported from China, said: “Show cause notice will be sent to a pharmaceutical lab in Bangalore.”
The complaint received by the Centre stated that 70 Beagles, aged between four and nine months, were imported from China “under the title pets, but later used for experiments.” The Bangalore-based firm had got permission for such imports in the past as well. It had imported 434 dogs for 14 experiments and this was the sixth consignment.
Natarajan said the Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals committee under the ministry will meet on December 3 to discuss the case. The Centre will take stern action against the firm if found guilty, Natarajan warned.
Fearing that the animals may be used for “other purposes,” Natarajan said lab experiments on dogs were a big business in India. Though the Environment Ministry welcomed research for the greater good of human beings, Natarajan said any violation of the experiments guidelines will be dealt with sternly.