Ban on night pet displays

Pet stores in Japan will no longer be allowed to display dogs and cats in brightly-lit shop windows in the evening. A revised animal protection law that took effect on Friday bans pet shops from displaying dogs and cats from 8 PM to 8 AM. The law is aimed at protecting the animals from possible health hazards caused by exposure to bright lights until late in the evening. But the government will delay implementing the regulations for so-called cat cafes, where cat-lovers play and relax with cats. Such places can continue to operate until 10 PM for 2 more years. The law also states that facilities for older dogs and cats, as well as pet auction operators, must register with their prefectural governments. This is due to growing hygiene concerns at these facilities and the difficulty of tracing the medical records of pets sold at auction. Prefectural governments will issue warnings to this effect and fine violators. The Environment Ministry says it hopes the law will help ensure that pets are kept and sold in a humane manner.