Gurugram, Ghaziabad civic authorities ban 11 foreign dog breeds; check new pet policy

Authorities in Noida have warned to take action against dog pets if any adverse incident occurs, including a Rs 10,000 punishment. Meanwhile, the local councils of Gurugram and Ghaziabad have prohibited the ownership of certain dog breeds.

Civic bodies in cities like Gurugram, Ghaziabad, and Noida have sprung into action to fight the rise in dog attack cases in the national capital region. 

Authorities in Noida have warned to take action against dog pets if any adverse incident occurs, including a Rs 10,000 punishment. Meanwhile, the local councils of Gurugram and Ghaziabad have prohibited the ownership of certain dog breeds.

The District Consumer Dispute Redressal Forum (DCDRF) ordered the ban on Tuesday on 11 foreign dog breeds in Gurugram. The court has also ordered the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) to cancel the registration of these dog breeds and take them into custody.

According to the court order, the following pet dogs of foreign breeds are hereby completely banned with immediate effect beginning on November 15, 2022: American Pit-bull terriers, Dogo Argentino, Rottweilers, Neapolitan mastiffs, Boerboels, Presa Canario, Wolf dogs, Bandogs, American Bulldogs, Fila Brasileiro, and Cane Corso.

"The MCG is instructed to cancel all licences issued in this regard in favour of the dog owners for having the specified breeds with immediate effect and transfer the aforesaid dogs into its custody," according to the court ruling. 

In addition to Gurugram, a new pet policy has been implemented in Noida. According to the policy, if a pet dog bites a person, the owner must pay for treatment and a Rs 10,000 punishment. The Noida municipality has also made anti-rabies vaccination of pet canines mandatory, failing which pet owners would be fined Rs 2,000 per month.

The Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation (GMC) has also declared three foreign dog breeds illegal. "Pit bulls, Rottweilers, and Dogo Argentinos are ferocious breeds that cannot be kept. If someone purchases one of them, he or she will be held accountable. All three kinds have been outlawed in Ghaziabad," said Sanjay Singh, a GMC councillor.