NEW DELHI: Following appeals from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India and a writ petition filed in the Delhi High Court, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, OP Chaudhary has sent a letter to the Chief Secretaries of states and union territories urging the local bodies, Department of Animal Husbandry, to ensure that no licenses or permissions are issued for the sale, breeding and keeping of pit bulls and other breeds deliberately bred for aggression and commonly used for illegal fighting and attack.
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The import of such dog breeds is also recommended to be prohibited by the expert committee formed under the chairmanship of the commissioner of Animal Husbandry.
PETA India commended the Centre for taking this step to safeguard vulnerable dog breeds commonly exploited by criminal elements of society for illegal dogfighting, as well as children and elderly citizens who are wounded and even killed by specific types of dogs that are manipulated and trained to consider other living beings “prey”.
“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,” Shaurya Agarwal, PETA India Advocacy Associate said.
In India, inciting dogs to fight is illegal under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. Yet organised dogfights are prevalent in parts of India, making pit bull-type dogs and others used in these fights the most abused dog breeds.
Pit bulls are commonly bred to be used in illegal fighting or kept on heavy chains as attack dogs, resulting in a lifetime of suffering. Many endure painful physical mutilations such as ear-cropping – an illegal process that involves removing part of a dog’s ears to prevent another dog from grabbing them during a fight.
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These dogs are encouraged to continue fighting until they become exhausted and at least one is seriously injured or dies. Pit bulls and related breeds are the most commonly abandoned dog breeds in India.
In the 15 years of 2005 through 2019, in the US, pit bulls contributed to 66 per cent (346) of deaths from dogs. Combined, pit bulls and rottweilers contributed to 76 per cent of the total recorded deaths. Severe and fatal attacks by pit bulls and related breeds are also increasingly common in India.
Just a month ago, a toddler was hospitalised for 17 days and had her leg broken in three places after she was bitten by a pit bull in Delhi. Also weeks ago, a man provoked his pit bull to attack his neighbour in the capital.
One week ago, a pit bull critically injured a ten-year-old child in Ghaziabad. And in Haridwar, a 70-year-old woman was severely injured by a pit bull in December. In a famous case, a gym owner’s pit bull killed his mother in Lucknow.
The Centre has also called for enforcement of the Dog Breeding and Marketing Rules 2017 and the Pet Shop Rules 2018 as PETA India warned that most pet shops and breeders are illegal, as they aren’t registered with their state animal welfare boards. They also typically deprive dogs of proper veterinary care and adequate food, exercise, affection, and opportunities for socialisation.
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The dogs the committee has recommended to be prohibited include breeds (including mixed breeds and cross breeds) like pit bull terriers, other such 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.
