An affidavit has been filed in the Supreme Court by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) on Monday accompanied with evidence of cruelty to dogs staying at the Tamil Nadu Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries Department’s unit of dog-breeding (DBU) at Saidapet, Chennai.

The dogs are imprisoned and denied mobility, they are also secluded from other dogs claimed the affidavit. In a shocking charge, PETA India has said that despite DBU being a government centre, dogs are bred to be sold to the public.

The Madras High Court had directed the closure of DBU for not providing dogs with their basic requirements and failing to meet the terms and conditions set by the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI). The AWBI is a statutory body which operates under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and takes details of breeders who want to be breeders.

The state government of Tamil Nadu, challenging the 2015 order of the Madras High Court in which the court had ordered the closure of the AWBI, had provided the Supreme Court with photographs that showed proper and timely treatment and care of the animals. PETA’s investigation has now found that those photographs were fabricated.

Sachin Bangera, associate director of celebrity and public relations of PETA India, said in a press conference on Monday that PETA India’s investigators had visited the DBU from March 12 to 14, 2018 and found that the adult dogs or puppies were neither allowed to play nor socialise.

He said that PETA India’s investigations reveal that DBA’s claims of dogs being taken out for exercise and socialization being a part of daily activities of the animals are false.

After the Tamil Nadu High Court had ordered the closure of DBA within two months, the state government moved the Supreme Court and provided 13 pictures which the animals were taken care of. The apex court thus stayed the order of closing of the dog- breeding unit. PETA's investigation claims that the pictures were fabricated and has thus field a fresh affidavit in the Supreme Court.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 22, 2018 08:05 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).