The Department of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Services (AH&VS) brought a unique blend of entertainment and awareness to the ongoing Island Tourism Festival 2025 by organizing a large-scale Pet Show at the ITF Ground on December 28. The event attracted hundreds of residents, families, children, tourists, and animal enthusiasts, celebrating the bond between humans and their pets.
The show was inaugurated by Pallavi Sarkar, IAS, Secretary of AH&VS. The opening featured a remarkable demonstration by highly trained dogs from the A&N Police Department and Forest Department, showcasing obedience, detection, and protection skills. Their performance highlighted the critical role of trained dogs in public safety and wildlife conservation across the islands.
A total of 55 pets participated in the competition across four categories. The large breed segment included 26 dogs such as Labradors, German Shepherds, Chippiparai, Golden Retrievers, Siberian Huskies, American Bully, and Dogo Argentino. Seventeen small breed dogs, including Indian Spitz, Pomeranian, Shih Tzu, and Lhasa Apso, charmed the audience with their agility and temperament. Six local mongrel dogs and six cats added variety, emphasizing that true companionship does not depend on pedigree.
The pets were judged by a panel of experts comprising Dr. Amal Kanti Rai, retired Senior Veterinary Officer; Dr. K Geeta Gladson, Veterinary Officer at Friendicoes-SECA NGO; and Dr. K P Ummer, retired Senior Veterinary Officer. Winners were selected based on health, grooming, temperament, and overall personality.
Prizes were distributed by Pallavi Sarkar, IAS; Niharika Bhatt, IPS, Superintendent of Police, South Andaman District; Jai Sunder, Director, ICAR-CIARI; and A K Bardhan, retired Senior Veterinary Officer. Top honors in the large breed category went to Har Ram (1st), A Ramu (2nd), and Dinesh (3rd). Surajit Datta (1st), Anuradha Norkar (2nd), and Asutosh Verma (3rd) won in the small breed category. In the mongrel category, Prajith Kumar (1st), Sanjita Bai (2nd), and Kartikeya (3rd) were recognized, while Zohra (1st), Niharika (2nd), and Tanuja (3rd) won in the cat segment.
Beyond entertainment, the event carried a strong social message promoting animal welfare. AH&VS emphasized the importance of anti-rabies vaccination, compulsory sterilization under the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme, and humane treatment of all animals. The department encouraged adoption of resilient Indian and mongrel breeds instead of expensive foreign varieties, highlighting their suitability for local climates and their need for loving homes.
The Department called upon residents and visitors to adopt homeless pets, vaccinate and sterilize their animals, and contribute to creating a compassionate, rabies-free environment in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
