The News Minute | October 29, 2014 | 5.50 pm ISTThe Animal Welfare Board of India has ordered that no residential welfare association (RWA) can legally ban keeping pets in houses. The Board’s order has brought much needed succor to the pet lovers. The Animal Welfare Board had received numerous complaints from pet loving people that unreasonable restrictions were imposed by RWAs like prohibiting use of public areas such as parks and elevators for dogs, banning keeping pets, etc., Dogspot.in reported. Taking cognizance of these the Board said that no RWA can legally introduce any such bans and that the RWAs cannot insist that only small sized dog breeds can be kept. It also said that dog barking cannot be considered as a valid reason for banning dogs. It said that banning elevators for pets cannot be done and they cannot be banned from parks. Pets can use any place that the residents can use, the order said. It also said that the use of muzzles cannot be insisted upon.