Proceedings of the International Conference on Conceptualizing Legal Framework and Policies for Domestic Animal and Wildlife Conservation: Issues and Challenges in Hybrid Mode (ICAR 2026)

International Conference on Conceptualizing Legal Framework and Policies for Domestic Animal and Wildlife Conservation: Issues and Challenges in Hybrid Mode (ICAR 2026)

📍Greater Noida, India🗓️ 16-17 January 2026
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Companion Animal Welfare Laws in India: A Comparative Analysis of Liability of Pet Owners in Care, Breeding and Abandonment

Authors
Avishkar Kumar Verma1, *, K. Kavya2
1KLE Law College, Bangalore, India
2KLE Law College, Bangalore, India
*Corresponding author. Email: avishkarverma@klelaecollege.org
Corresponding Author
Avishkar Kumar Verma
Available Online 7 July 2026.
DOI
10.2991/978-94-6239-725-5_8How to use a DOI?
Keywords
Companion Animals; Cruelty; Animal Rights; Animal care obligations; Pet Ownership regulation
Abstract

Companion animals are pets that ensure affective wellbeing of people. In a developing country like India, there is a normative gap in its legal framework for the protection of companion animals. The law does not recognise companion animals, and thus the cases of cruelty and abandonment go unnoticed. In most of the cases, the owners choose to inflict injury, show negligence in care and abandon the companion animals, leaving them vulnerable. A comparative analysis of the Indian laws with the laws of the United Kingdom showcases a possible solution to protect companion animals. There is a need to balance the liberty of owners with the rights of the animals. Countries around the world regulate and protect wildlife, and such frameworks can be created for the welfare of companion animals as well. Creation of rules and empowering the local governance bodies to intervene and regulate pet animal ownership will be a progressive step in congruence with the ethical values of the Indian Civilisation in the contemporary world.

Copyright
© 2026 The Author(s)
Open Access
Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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Volume Title
Proceedings of the International Conference on Conceptualizing Legal Framework and Policies for Domestic Animal and Wildlife Conservation: Issues and Challenges in Hybrid Mode (ICAR 2026)
Series
Atlantis Highlights in Social Sciences, Education and Humanities
Publication Date
7 July 2026
ISBN
978-94-6239-725-5
ISSN
2667-128X
DOI
10.2991/978-94-6239-725-5_8How to use a DOI?
Copyright
© 2026 The Author(s)
Open Access
Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

Cite this article

risenwbib
TY  - CONF
AU  - Avishkar Kumar Verma
AU  - K. Kavya
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/07/07
TI  - Companion Animal Welfare Laws in India: A Comparative Analysis of Liability of Pet Owners in Care, Breeding and Abandonment
BT  - Proceedings of the International Conference on Conceptualizing Legal Framework and Policies for Domestic Animal and Wildlife Conservation: Issues and Challenges in Hybrid Mode (ICAR 2026)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 84
EP  - 94
SN  - 2667-128X
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6239-725-5_8
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6239-725-5_8
ID  - Verma2026
ER  -