The Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has kept in abeyance its March 12, 2024 proceedings imposing a ban on the sale and breeding of certain dogs classified as “ferocious and dangerous for human life” besides insisting upon sterilization of such dogs already being kept as pets.
It was on March 12 this year that a Joint Secretary in the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, under the Ministry, had written to Chief Secretaries of all States and Union Territories to ban the sale and breeding of certain dogs classified as “ferocious and dangerous for human life.”
The ban was imposed on Pitbull Terrier, Tosa Inu, American Staffordshire Terrier, Fila Brasileiro, Dogo Argentino, American Bulldog, Boerboel, Kangal, Central Asian Shepherd, Caucasian Shepherd, South Asian Shepherd, Tornjak, Sarplaninac, Japanese Tosa, Akita, Mastiffs (boerbulls), Rottweiler, Terriers, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Wolf dogs, Canario, Akbash, Moscow Guard, Cane Corso and every dog of the type commonly known as Bandog.
The letter stated that the ban was being imposed on the recommendations of an expert committee constituted pursuant to an order passed by the Delhi High Court in a public interest litigation petition. Pursuant to the letter, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) issued a notification on March 14 asking its officials to prevent the import of those dogs from other countries.
Several litigations were filed in the High Courts across the country challenging the ban and an interim stay was granted. The Kennel Club of India (KCI) approached the Madras High Court and obtained a stay of the letter as well as CBIC’s notification on the ground that the classification of the breeds as “ferocious” was absurd and that it was not consulted before taking such a major decision.
Following the court orders, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying has now issued a public notice stating that its March 12 proceedings “shall not be enforced until further orders.” It has also invited comments in this regard from all stakeholders by June 1 and stated that the comments could be mailed to O.P. Choudhary, Joint Secretary, at jspf-dadf@nic.in
