Centre tells states to ban sale of dangerous dogs

Anshita Mehra

New Delhi, March 13

Amid rising attacks on humans, the Centre has directed the states and union territories to refrain from issuing licences or permissions for the sale, breeding and keeping of aggressive dog breeds, including Pit Bull Terrier, Tosa Inu and American Staffordshire Terrier.

OP Chaudhary, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, has issued directions to the chief secretaries. The directive follows appeals from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India and a writ petition filed in the Delhi High Court.

In his letter, Chaudhary emphasised the need to protect both humans and dogs from breeds commonly exploited by criminal elements for illegal dogfighting. An expert committee formed under the chairmanship of the Animal Husbandry Commissioner had identified several breeds as “ferocious” and “dangerous” for human life, including the three mentioned above.