Date of Birth Falsifications Suspected for Pet Animals for Sale

Tokyo, Feb. 15 (Jiji Press)–On-site inspections by Japan's Environment Ministry and local authorities have found that the dates of birth of puppies and kittens auctioned for pet dealers were highly likely to have been falsified in many cases.

The inspections, conducted at 19 auction venues in nine prefectures–Hokkaido, Miyagi, Saitama, Kanagawa, Tochigi, Shizuoka, Aichi, Osaka and Fukuoka–found records showing that many puppies and kittens were born on particular days of the week, raising suspicions that the dates of their birth were falsified. The ministry announced the results of the inspections Thursday.

The ministry believes that animal breeders altered the dates of birth to put up puppies and kittens younger than allowed under law for auction.

The country's animal protection law bans the sale of dogs and cats that are 56 days old or younger. Acting on reports on a number of puppies and kittens younger than 57 days being traded, the ministry carried out the inspections in November-December last year, in cooperation with prefectural and municipal governments.

It is supposed that dogs, cats and other animals are born evenly on any day of the week. But the inspections found the concentration of births on particular days of the week for auctioned animals at all 19 venues. It is suspected that the birth data were altered to meet the criteria that dogs and cats must be at least 57 days old when they are auctioned.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]