The Delhi High Court rejected a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking a ban on “dangerous” dog breeds such as pitbulls, terriers, American bulldogs, and rottweilers. The court asked the petitioner, Legal Attorneys & Barrister Law Firm, to address their concerns with the government authorities before approaching the court directly.
The bench, headed by Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sanjeev Narula, emphasized that filing a PIL before the court without first making a representation to the government is not the correct approach. They stated that this is a policy decision and urged the petitioner to follow the proper protocol.
The PIL alleged that breeds like bulldogs, rottweilers, pitbulls, terriers, and Neapolitan Mastiffs are considered “dangerous dogs” and are banned in more than 12 countries, including India. However, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi was still registering these breeds for pet ownership. The petitioner also highlighted instances of these dog breeds attacking people, including their owners.
The petition called for a ban and cancellation of licenses for keeping breeds such as Pitbulls, Terriers, American bulldogs, Rottweilers, Japanese Tosa, Bandog, Neapolitan Mastiff, Wolf Dog, Boerboel, Presa Canario, Fila Brasileiro, Tosa Inu, Cane Corso, Dogo Argentino, and their cross-breeds.
The petitioner argued that it is the responsibility of the central and state governments to take preemptive action in order to protect citizens from the risk of major dog bite incidents involving these “dangerous dogs.”
(Note: This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)