India Bans Some Famous Pet Dog Breeds. Calls Them Dangerous

The India government has directed states to ban the sale and breeding of 23 breeds of ferocious dogs, including Pitbull Terrier, American Bulldog, Rottweiler and Mastiffs, amid rising instances of people dying due to pet dog attacks.

The directive issued to states and Union Territories bars people from keeping as many as 23 breeds of dogs as pets.

The panel has identified 23 breeds of dogs, including mixed and cross breeds, as ferocious and also dangerous for human lives.

Pitbull Terrier, Tosa Inu, American Staffordshire Terrier, Fila Brasileiro, Dogo Argentino, American Bulldog, Boerboel Kangal, Central Asian Shepherd Dog and Caucasian Shepherd Dog are among the breeds sought to be banned from the Centre.

Other breeds include South Russian Shepherd Dog, Tornjak, Sarplaninac, Japanese Tosa and Akita, Mastiffs, Terriers, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Wolf Dogs, Canario, Akbash Dog, Moscow Guard Dog, Cane Corso and Bandog.

"...the above dog breeds, including crossbreeds, shall be prohibited for import, breedings, selling as pet dogs and other purposes," the letter said, quoting the recommendations of the expert panel.

Flagging serious recent issues of death of human beings due to dog bites by some ferocious breeds of dogs kept as pets, the department said it has received representations from citizens, citizen forums and Animal Welfare Organisations (AWOs) to ban some of the breeds of dogs from keeping them as pets and other purposes.

Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying said that these breeds of dogs, which have already been kept as pets, should be sterilised to prevent further breeding.