Mumbai: After the Ministry of Animal Husbandry banned a number of foreign dog breeds in March, animal activists have demanded a complete ban on the import, breeding, and sale of all foreign breeds. The animal rights activists have started writing to the department of animal husbandry calling for urgent action to stop unethical dog breeding practices.
The department of animal husbandry and dairying had released a public notice identifying over 20 foreign breeds of dogs as ferocious and putting a ban on importing, breeding and selling them in the country citing deaths of humans due to pet dog bites.
Animal rights activists have welcomed the decision but also demanded a complete ban on all the foreign breeds of dogs in the country citing abandonment of Indian dog breeds, health of foreign breeds and its impact on human-animal conflict.
Ambika Shukla, trustee of People For Animals and member of parliament Maneka Gandhi’s sister, has started a campaign requesting all animal lovers to write to the joint secretary of the animal husbandry ministry’s department of animal husbandry and dairying demanding complete ban on breeding and sale of dogs in India.
The letter circulated among animal lovers says that placing a ban on breeding of dogs will encourage adoption of Indian dogs from shelters or off the streets, reducing the population of street dogs and mitigating human-animal conflicts.
The letter claims that the sale of foreign breeds of dogs leave an impact on the Indian breeds like the Indian Pariah, which are low-maintenance, healthier, and more suitable for the Indian environment compared to foreign breeds, and undermines the country’s commitment to go vocal for local.
“Breeding dogs for profit often leads to serious health issues and genetic defects. Irresponsible breeding practices result in suffering for the animals and financial burdens for owners. Ethical concerns arise when dogs are bred solely for profit, disregarding their well-being. This practice perpetuates harmful stereotypes and discrimination against certain breeds. If breed dogs were not an option, all dog lovers would adopt Indian dogs off the streets or from shelters,” the letter said.
The letter also claimed that most of these dogs are bred in slum areas in cruel confinement and as a result, they suffer from temperamental issues. Adding that large breeds like the Great Dane suffer in confined spaces whereas Huskies suffer due to the heat in summer, the letter said that there is a lack of a conducive environment for keeping foreign breeds in India.
The letter also alleged that, as breeding and sale of dogs is not an organised industry and transactions take place without receipts or record, this profession does not contribute tax or revenue to the country and only encourages criminality and a burgeoning black market. Putting forward these points, the animal rights activists have urged a ban on all foreign breeds and also requested that licences or permits are not issued for any sale and breeding of dogs.
