Madras HC directs Centre to continue inviting feedback over proposed ban on 'ferocious' dog breeds

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Friday directed the Union government to continue the process of inviting comments and objections regarding the proposed ban on import of dog breeds considered dangerous, stating that dog bite incidents were rising and needed to be curbed.

Justice Anitha Sumanth also extended the time limit of inviting the comments and objections until June 30 while hearing a petition moved by the Kennel Club of India seeking to quash the notice issued by the joint secretary of the animal husbandry department inviting comments and objections to the proposed ban.

The judge further directed the Union government to ensure the representation of canine behavioral experts in the committee constituted to decide the ban.

The committee should be transparent, the judge directed while closing the petition.

The Kennel Club of India had moved the high court seeking to quash the recent notice issued by the joint secretary of the animal husbandry department inviting comments and objections to the report on the proposed ban on dog breeds as it was published by a committee without any dog expert in it.

The counsel for the petitioner submitted that the High Court of Karnataka had in April quashed the notice issued by the joint secretary of the animal husbandry department regarding the report on the proposed ban on dog breeds published by a previous committee. The high court in its judgment had said that none of the stakeholders, especially pet owners were consulted in the process.

However, the counsel stated that the department had issued a notice on May 12, inviting comments and objections over the report on the proposed ban, which is against the order of the Karnataka High Court.

After the submissions, the judge had then directed to reconstitute the committee with canine experts and continue the process of inviting comments and objections to the proposed ban on dog breeds considered dangerous.

Further, the court had also directed to not pass final orders based on the earlier report and allowed the inviting of comments and objections from stakeholders.

In March, the Union government had ordered a ban on the sale, import and breeding of 23 "ferocious" dog breeds due to a rise in cases of attacks by dogs across the country. It had also directed to sterilise the existing dogs of those breeds.

The 23 dog breeds that were banned were: Pitbull Terrier, Tosa Inu, American Staffordshire Terrier, Fila Brasileiro, Dogo Argentino, American Bulldog, Boerboel Kangal, Central Asian Shepherd Dog and Caucasian Shepherd Dog, 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.

(With inputs from Online Desk)