New Delhi: In a significant move prompted by appeals from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India and a writ petition filed in the Delhi High Court, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, OP Chaudhary, has issued directives to the Chief Secretaries of states and union territories. These directives urge local bodies and the Department of Animal Husbandry to cease issuing licenses or permissions for the sale, breeding, and keeping of pit bulls and other breeds specifically bred for aggression – breeds often exploited for illegal fighting and attacks.
The expert committee chaired by the Commissioner of Animal Husbandry has recommended the prohibition of importing such dog breeds.
PETA India has hailed the Centre for its proactive stance in protecting vulnerable dog breeds often exploited by criminal elements in illegal dogfighting rings. They stress the critical importance of safeguarding not only the welfare of these dogs but also the safety of children and elderly citizens who frequently fall victim to aggressive dog breeds.
Shaurya Agarwal, Advocacy Associate at PETA India, commented, “This order is key toward providing vital protection for both humans and dogs and sends a strong, clear message that pit bulls and other such breeds are bred to be used as weapons. Pit bulls and related breeds are the most commonly abandoned dogs in India, and this action can prevent a great deal of suffering.”
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Despite being illegal under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, organized dogfights persist in various parts of India, leading to pit bull-type dogs and others used in these fights being among the most abused dog breeds.
Pit bulls are often bred specifically for illegal fighting or as attack dogs, enduring a lifetime of suffering, often chained and subjected to painful physical alterations such as ear-cropping to prevent opponents from grabbing their ears during fights.
These dogs are coerced into fighting until exhaustion, often resulting in severe injuries or death. Pit bulls and related breeds are frequently abandoned in India.
Between 2005 and 2019, pit bulls accounted for 66 percent (346) of deaths caused by dog attacks in the US. Combined, pit bulls and rottweilers contributed to 76 percent of the total recorded deaths. Severe and fatal attacks involving pit bulls and related breeds are also on the rise in India.
Recent incidents include a toddler in Delhi hospitalized for 17 days with a broken leg after being bitten by a pit bull, and a pit bull attack in the capital, provoked by its owner against a neighbor. In Ghaziabad, a ten-year-old child was critically injured by a pit bull, while in Haridwar, a 70-year-old woman suffered severe injuries from a pit bull attack in December. In a notorious case, a gym owner’s pit bull killed his mother in Lucknow.
The Centre has also urged the enforcement of the Dog Breeding and Marketing Rules 2017 and the Pet Shop Rules 2018. PETA India has cautioned that most pet shops and breeders operate illegally, without registration with state animal welfare boards, resulting in neglect of dogs’ basic needs such as veterinary care, proper food, exercise, and socialization.
The breeds recommended by the committee for prohibition include pit bull terriers, other terriers, Tosa Inu, American Staffordshire Terrier, Fila Brasilerio, Dogo Argentino, American bulldog, Boerboel, Kangal, various shepherd dogs, Tornjak, Bandog, Sarplaninac, Japanese Tosa, Akita, Mastiffs, Rottweilers, Rhodesian Ridgeback, wolf dogs, Canario, Akbash, and Moscow Guarddog.
