The thing is, it is actually legal to keep a parrot as a pet in India in many states of the country, but you can’t just go ahead, capture any parrot, and keep it as a pet. Instead, you’d have to first acquire a license that will allow you to do so. Let’s talk about that.
What Laws Are There For Keeping Parrots in India?
In India, you see, the laws and regulations related to parrots in the pet market are not only strict but they are also above board. These laws and regulations were made with the sole purpose of protecting wildlife and ensuring that human activities do not lead to the extinction of any species, you know? That was kinda the main goal. And that’s the reason why there is the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, which was created to protect wild animals, birds, and plants. And sure, there are some specific rules laid out to protect different species of parrots in India.
Through this law, the capturing of parrots from the wild or the trading of these birds is absolutely illegal. This means, forget about selling these birds, you can’t even keep them as pets, at least that’s true for most of the parrot species in India. All of this is actually to preserve the wildlife of the country, and to make sure that no other wildlife goes extinct because of the actions of the human race, you know?
Licensing Requirements
If a passion for keeping a parrot is calling you, well, the right way to get into this is actually through a license, and that’s the only way. This has been required by the government so as to provide proper care to domesticated parrots. A license is granted when you can prove that you can provide a suitable setting for the parrot which includes a proper cage, sufficient food, and routine visits to the veterinarian. But why’s that? Well, this whole licensing system is also a way for the authorities to ensure that the proper standards of care are being practiced and that the birds are correctly treated instead of being abused.
What Are State-Specific Regulations Regarding Keeping Parrot As A Pet?
Well, the thing is, different states in the country have their own set of laws and regulations which can be quite different from each other. A perfect example of this is the case in Maharashtra where the authorities took action against the unlawful breeding of parrots where they found that more than 100 of these birds were up for sale in the year 2015. And that just goes to show how strictly the state government is following the laws and rules set by the wildlife protection act as most of the states in India must or should do.
Also in West Bengal, there are even harsher laws in place, where it is actually banned to keep many bird species as pets, and if you still go down this path, well, there are serious consequences for that and you should be prepared for it. That’s just the discussion about the local bird species, but if you are thinking of keeping a foreign bird species as a pet, well, you have no other option than to first get your hands on a license that allows you that, before you even import such a bird in India.
