Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has directed the state govt to take action on complaints of pet shops operating without registration throughout Maharashtra. Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Makarand Karnik heard a PIL on Wednesday by Shivraj Patne, seeking implementation of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Pet Shop) Rules. The grounds included that places where animals are kept do not fulfil the minimum standard of animal housing. Further, pet shops cannot carry on business without registration. The petitioner’s advocate submitted a May 2017 order in a disposed PIL that directed that when any complaint is brought to the notice of the competent authority, the latter is duty-bound to take action in accordance with the law. As the relief was confined to pet shops in Crawford Market in Mumbai, a similar direction was sought in respect of the entire state. tnn