PANAJI
Following the death of a 7-year-old boy in Anjuna after he was mauled by a pitbull, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India has petitioned the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services to implement a policy prohibiting breeding, selling, or keeping dog breeds who have been deliberately bred for fighting and aggression.
PETA India has warned that dogs such as pitbull terriers, rottweilers, Pakistani bully kuttas, dogo argentinos (Argentine mastiffs), presa canarios (Spanish mastiffs), fila brasileiros (Brazilian mastiffs), bull terriers, and XL bullies, are often sold to unsuspecting buyers who are themselves attacked or otherwise cannot control the animals.
“Pitbull“type foreign dog breeds are bred to be unstoppable weapons and to be abused in dogfights,” says PETA India Advocacy Associate Shaurya Agrawal.
“We urge Goa to immediately pass a statewide policy that prohibits keeping, breeding, or selling these dogs to protect humans from attacks and dogs from abuse.”
PETA India said a prohibition could be achieved in the State by requiring such dogs to be mandatorily sterilised and registered while prohibiting breeding, keeping, or selling them after a stipulated date.
PETA India is also calling for a closure of illegal pet shops and breeders as well as a crackdown on illegal dogfights.
