Delhi High Court seeks response of Centre on plea challenging ban on 23 dog breeds

The Karnataka High Court had earlier stayed the central government notification on a plea filed by a dog breeder and Kennel Club of India, who claimed that there was no adequate consultation with the stakeholders by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying before imposing the ban on 23 breeds of ferocious dogs.

Government has banned 23 dog breeds that are conidered dangerous to humans in response to rising cases of dog attacks across the country.
(Credit: Getty)

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday sought the response of the central government on a plea challenging its decision to ban the sale and breeding of 23 dog breeds.

Justice Subramonium Prasad sought the response of the central government while hearing the plea filed by a professional dog breeder and a doctor enthusiast of special category dogs.

Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying banned 23 dog breeds

The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying had on March 12 issued direction to states and Union Territories to ban the sale and breeding of 23 breeds of ferocious dogs that included Pitbull Terriers, American Bulldog, Wolf dogs, Rottweilers and Mastiffs.
It had further said that if these breeds of dogs have already been kept as pets, they should be sterilised to prevent further breeding.

What did the petitioners submit?

The petitioners have claimed that the direction of the central government violated the right to practice any profession, trade or business, guaranteed under the Constitution of India and that no studies were conducted to conclude that the said breeds of dogs were “ferocious” and ought to be banned.

“Both Petitioner No.
1 and Petitioner No.
2 represent individuals directly affected by the Impugned Notification, as it infringes upon their fundamental rights, threatens their livelihoods, and undermines their collective efforts to promote responsible dog breeding practices and preserve special dog breeds,” the plea said.

The Delhi High Court is also seized of another petition on the issue and had last month directed the Centre to explain the basis on which this decision was taken by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying.

Karnataka High Court earlier stayed Centre’s notification

Earlier, the Karnataka High Court had stayed the direction of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying and the Calcutta High Court had also partially banned the direction.

The Karnataka High Court had stayed the central government notification on a plea filed by a dog breeder and Kennel Club of India, who claimed that there was no adequate consultation with the stakeholders by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying before imposing the ban on 23 breeds of ferocious dogs.