Karnataka HC strikes down Centre’s circular banning ‘dangerous’ dogs

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday quashed a directive by the Centre banning the breeding and keeping of certain dog breeds which are deemed ‘ dangerous’ for humans, The Indian Express reported.

The order comes after the court stayed on March 19 the operations of the circular within the state following the petition by a dog breeder.

The court however made it clear that before the circular was issued pet owners and relevant organisations should have been consulted.

The circular issued on March 12 by the joint secretary of the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying asked states and Union territories not to issue licences or permissions for the sale, breeding and keeping of dog breeds ‘ dangerous for human life’.

The circular also directed to sterilize the dogs already being kept as pets to prevent their further breeding.

The breeds that were deemed "dangerous" include Pitbull Terrier, Tosa Inu, American Staffordshire Terrier, Fila Brasileiro, Dogo Argentino, American Bulldog, Boerboel, Kangal, Central Asian Sheepdog, Caucasian Shepherd Dog, South Russian Shepherd Dog, Tornjak, Sarplaninac, Japanese Tosa and Akita, Mastiff (Boerboel), Rottweiler, Terriers, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Wolf Dogs, Canario, Akbash, Moscow Guard Dog, Cane Corso and every type of dog commonly known as Ban Dog or Bandog, according to India Today.

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