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The government has mandated a negative COVID-19 test report for domestic cats and other members of the feline family (tigers, lions, snow leopards, and pumas) and gorillas to prevent the spread of COVID. to exclude -19 infections from imported animals.
The Treasury Department on Wednesday urged all customs officials to ensure compliance with the directive issued by the Department of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairy Farming, citing reports of lion deaths from COVID-19 and the possibility of the virus spreading among animals in the national Parks and other protected areas from person to animal and vice versa.
“According to the World Animal Health Organization’s technical bulletin, cats (pets), big cats (tigers, lions, snow leopards, and pumas) and gorillas are highly susceptible to natural COVID-19 infection,” said the Department of Animal Husbandry Animal and Daiying in a memo on June 21st.
The decision to test such animals for COVID-19 infection until the pandemic persists was approved by Union Minister for Animal Husbandry, Dairy Farming and Fisheries, Giriraj Singh. The COVID-19 negative report should not be more than three days old before these animals are exported to India.
“You are requested to take the necessary steps to raise awareness among officials under your jurisdiction of the above requirements for the importation of live animals. The difficulties, if any, can be brought to the attention of the Central Authority for Indirect Taxes and Customs, ”the Ministry of Finance said in a communique to the Customs Associations.
“The government has introduced the requirement of COVID tests for certain animals for import into India to further prevent the spread of the infection,” said Abhishek Jain, tax partner at EY, describing this as a timely decision.
