India, May 29 -- Formed in April 2023 with the promise of transforming animal welfare in the national capital, the Delhi State Animal Welfare Board (DAWB) has been a little more than a paper tiger. More than two years on, the board has failed to register even a single pet shop or dog breeder - one of its primary mandates - even as complaints against unregulated operators continue to pile up.

Announced by then environment minister Gopal Rai, the 27-member board is chaired by the minister of animal husbandry and includes MLAs, municipal officials, veterinary experts, and gaushala (cow shelter) representatives. After two initial meetings in April and July last year, the board met only once again - in September 2024, and even that meeting wa...