Jail or ₹50,000 fine: Goa's bill bans Pitbull, Rottweiler breeding
What's the story
The Goa Assembly has passed the Animal Breeding and Domestication (Regulation and Compensation) Bill, 2025. The legislation empowers the state government to declare any breed of animal as "ferocious" through an official gazette notification. Once declared, breeding, keeping, or importing such animals will be strictly prohibited in Goa. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant defended the bill, citing public safety concerns after incidents involving Rottweiler and Pitbull dog breeds biting children.
Registration requirements
Penalties for non-compliance
The bill requires owners of animals declared ferocious to register them with the Directorate of Animal Husbandry within 30 days. They must also get the animal sterilized within 60 days. Violations of these provisions could lead to imprisonment between 15 days and three months, a fine up to ₹50,000, and mandatory community service. Courts may allow community service as an alternative to jail time in certain cases.
Victim compensation
Victim compensation, register of ferocious animals
The bill also provides for compensation to victims injured or killed by such animals. Claims must be filed within six months of the incident and resolved within three months by the competent authority. The Director of Animal Husbandry will maintain a register of these ferocious animals. The legislation will come into effect after it is signed by the governor.
National ban
Central government's ban on ferocious dog breeds
In 2024, the central government had banned the import, sale, and breeding of 23 "ferocious" dog breeds. These include the Pitbull Terrier, Tosa Inu, American Staffordshire Terrier, Fila Brasileiro, Dogo Argentino, American Bulldog, Boerboel, Kangal, Russian Shepherd, Tornjak, Sarplaninac, Japanese Tosa and Akita, Mastiffs, Rottweiler, Terriers, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Wolf dogs, Canario, Akbash dog, Moscow Guard dog, and Cane Corso. The breeds were deemed a "threat to human life."