A public interest litigation (PIL) seeking the shutting down of pet shops in Crawford Market, the rehabilitation of the animals ‘trapped’ there and criminal action against the shop owners for their inhuman treatment was filed at the Bombay High Court last week.The PIL also seeks directions for the Animal Welfare Board to frame rules to regulate pet shops in the state, calling the condition in which these animals are kept barbaric.“There are rampant instances of selling un-weaned puppies -- puppies taken away from their mothers before they can open their eyes. Thereafter, they are drugged to prevent them from crying. Large birds are stuffed into small cages and are also debeaked by cutting their beaks with hot knives. Kittens are de-clawed with pliers so that they won’t be able to scratch,” the PIL pointed out.It says that as per the data with the Ministry of Environment and Forests, a total of 8,000 birds have been seized and rescued from Crawford Market since 1993. It added that exotic birds like koels, jungle fowls, macaws, horn bill, munias, parakeets and mynahs are being openly sold in the market.The PIL, filed through advocates Sanjukta Dey and Abhishek Yende cited a 2014 Supreme Court judgment which says that Article 21 of the Constitution of India – Right to life – applies not only to human beings but to all living beings, including animals. Citing provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, the PIL said that it was the duty of every person in-charge of any animal “to take all reasonable measures to ensure the wellbeing of such animals and to prevent the infliction upon such animal of unnecessary pain or suffering.”Another provision cited from the Wild Life Protection Act says that trapping an animal without killing it is included under the definition of “hunting” and carries a three-year punishment.The PIL is likely to be heard on August 5 by a division bench headed by Justice VM Kanade.