In response to an order from the Delhi High Court and a report from a joint panel of experts and animal welfare organizations, the Centre imposed a ban on the import, sale, and breeding of 23 “dangerous breeds” of dogs. These breeds are considered a “threat to human life.”
Included in these breeds are Rottweilers, Pit Bulls, Terriers, Wolf Dogs, Russian Shepherds, and Mastiffs, which are deemed dangerous for human life. The ban also includes mixed and hybrid breeds of these cruel breeds.
This step was taken following an order from the Delhi High Court to the central government to make a decision on the matter within three months after consulting all stakeholders. The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying has also sent letters to the chief secretaries of states and union territories to ensure the implementation of the ban.
According to the letter, a recommendation to impose a ban on the import of such breeds of dogs was made by a special committee formed under the chairmanship of the Commissioner of Animal Husbandry.
The complete list of banned dog breeds includes Pitbull Terrier, Tosa Inu, American Staffordshire Terrier, Fila Brasileiro, Dogo Argentino, American Bulldog, Boerboel, Kangal, Central Asian Shepherd Dog, Caucasian Shepherd Dog, South Russian Shepherd Dog, Tornjak, Sarplaninac, Japanese Tosa, and Akita, Mastiffs, Rottweilers, Terriers, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Wolf Dogs, Canary, Akbash Dog, Moscow Guard Dog, Cane Corso, and any such dogs commonly known as ‘banned dogs.’
Referring to the recommendations of the expert panel, the letter states, “…crossbreeds including the above-mentioned breeds will be banned for import, breeding, selling, and other purposes.”
The central government has also called for the implementation of the Dog Breeding and Marketing Rules 2017 and the Pet Shop Rules 2018.
Earlier, the animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India had requested the government to protect weaker breeds of dogs, which are usually abused by criminal elements in society for llegal dogfighting, as well as for the safety of humans. PETA also filed a writ petition in the Delhi High Court.
In its petition, PETA wrote: “This order is crucial in providing essential protection for both humans and dogs and sends a strong, clear message that Pit Bulls and other such breeds are not to be used as weapons. Pit Bulls and related breeds are among the most abandoned dogs in India, and this action can prevent a considerable amount of suffering.
