New Delhi: In a joint letter and several independent letters, 21 animal protection groups (APGs) have written in support of the central government's proposal to prohibit pit bulls and similar foreign dog breeds who are commonly used for illegal fighting. The groups supporting this effort are People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organizations (FIAPO), Samayu, Fauna Police, Centre for Research on Animal Rights, Heritage Animal Task Force, Sansthanam Abhay Daanam, People for Cattle in India, Sheetal Chhaya Trust, Badlo Re, Aushadh Daanam, Gyan Daanam Gurukul, Holy Cow Foundation, CAPE Foundation, Compassionate Living, Animal Welfare Trust Ekamra, Sacred Earth Trust, Compassion for Animals Welfare Association, Umeed for Animals Foundation, Earthlings Trust, and Compassion Unlimited Plus Action.
On 2 May, the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying invited public comments on its circular originally released on 12 March to the chief secretaries of all states and union territories prohibiting some 23 foreign breeds who are commonly used in dogfights and kept on heavy chains or in cages. Such dogs have been increasingly involved in severe and often fatal attacks on humans. The proposed policy covers pit bulls as well as dog breeds not common in India and includes other preventive measures.
“The central government's proposal aims to stop pit bull–type breeds from being torn apart in illegal dogfights and protect citizens from being attacked by dogs bred to be unstoppable weapons,” says PETA India Advocacy Associate Shaurya Agrawal. “Animal protection groups support the central government's effort to protect these vulnerable dog breeds, who are sold by breeders without warning that they were bred to be aggressive and used in fights. Then, these buyers are often attacked themselves.”
A copy of the letter is available here and video footage of illegal dogfights can be found here.
Pit bulls and similar foreign dog breeds are primarily used for illegal dogfighting in India, even though inciting dogs to fight is illegal under The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. Without suitable enforcement and regulation, organised dogfights have become prevalent in parts of the country, making pit bull–type dogs and others used in these fights the most abused dog breeds. Pit bulls and related breeds are also otherwise typically kept on heavy chains as attack dogs, resulting in aggressive, defensive behaviour and a lifetime of suffering. Many endure painful physical mutilations such as ear-cropping and tail-docking – illegal procedures that involve removing part of a dog's ears or their tail to prevent another dog from grabbing them during a fight. These dogs are encouraged to continue fighting until they become exhausted and at least one is seriously injured or dies. Because dogfighting is illegal, injured dogs are not taken to veterinarians.
There are 80 million dogs and cats suffering on India's streets and countless more are in severely crowded animal shelters – and pit bulls and related breeds are the most commonly abandoned dog breeds in India. Breeders do not warn unsuspecting buyers that this breed was developed in the UK through the selective breeding of dogs to accentuate characteristics desirable for use in dogfights and attacks, resulting in aggression, abnormally strong jaws, and muscular strength. Although dogfighting was banned in the UK in 1835 and pit bulls and similar breeds are now prohibited there and in numerous other countries, their exploitation is still causing chaos in India.
