GUWAHATI: Amid a surge in dog bite cases nationwide, the central government has taken a significant step by recommending a prohibition on the import, sale, and breeding of 23 dog breeds labeled as "ferocious" due to their perceived threat to human safety, media reports stated.
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The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying's Joint Secretary, OP Chaudhary, has issued directives to state and Union territory chief secretaries to ensure strict enforcement of the ban, reports further stated.
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The banned breeds, deemed hazardous to human life, include Pitbull Terrier, Tosa Inu, American Staffordshire Terrier, Fila Brasileiro, Dogo Argentino, American Bulldog, Boerboel, Kangal, Russian Shepherd, Tornjak, Sarplaninac, Japanese Tosa and Akita, Mastiffs, Rottweiler, Terriers, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Wolf Dogs, Canario, Akbash dog, Moscow Guard dog, Cane Corso, and any dog commonly referred to as a ‘Ban Dog’.
Furthermore, the letter recommends prohibiting the import of these breeds based on recommendations from the expert committee chaired by the commissioner of Animal Husbandry.
Additionally, the central government has urged the enforcement of the Dog Breeding and Marketing Rules 2017 and the Pet Shop Rules 2018 to regulate dog breeding and sales. This decision follows appeals from organizations like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, which advocated for the protection of vulnerable dog breeds often exploited in illegal dogfighting rings, and stressed the importance of safeguarding human safety. PETA even took legal action by filing a writ petition in the Delhi High Court regarding this matter.