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Pet owners in dilemma over mandatory sterilization of ‘furry pals’
The Centre imposed a ban on the import, sale, and breeding of 23 “ferocious” dog breeds considering them to be a “threat to human life”
LUCKNOW Pet owners in the city are a worried lot after the the Centre imposed a ban on the import, sale, and breeding of 23 “ferocious” dog breeds considering them to be a “threat to human life”’ and the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) deciding not to issue fresh licences for canines (banned breeds already kept by people) that are not sterilized and vaccinated.
The list includes breeds (including mixed and cross breeds) like Pitbull Terrier, Tosa Inu, American Staffordshire Terrier, Fila Brasileiro, Dogo Argentino, American Bulldog, Kangal, Central Asian Shepherd Dog, Caucasian Shepherd Dog, South Russian Shepherd Dog, Tornjak, Japanese Tosa, Akita, Mastiffs (boerbulls), Rottweiler and Wolf dogs etc.
“The ban extends not only to purebred dogs, but also to mixed and crossbreeds. Owners of these dogs are now required to comply with stringent regulations, including mandatory sterilization and vaccination. Non-compliance could result in the revocation of their pet licences, leading to potential seizure of their beloved companions by the LMC. Now, I am concerned about my dog (a mixed Mastiff cross),” said Varsha, a pet owner in Krishna Nagar.
Municipal commissioner Inderjeet Singh said: “We have not banned the dogs’ species on our own. The decision came after animal husbandry ministry’s directive to ensure prohibition on sale, breeding or keeping of foreign dog breeds. It constituted an expert committee under the chairmanship of animal husbandry commissioner with members from various stakeholder organizations and experts. The committee identified these breeds of dogs as ferocious, which are dangerous for human life.”
He added: The department of animal husbandry and municipal corporations shall not issue any licenses/permit for sale/breeding of these dogs and keeping of these dog breeds shall be banned with immediate effect. However, the dogs that have already been kept as pets shall be sterilized so that further breeding may not happen.”
However, dog owners are unhappy over this decision. Rakesh Kumar of Mahanagar, who owns a pet of one of the banned breeds, expressed his dilemma. He is unwilling to subject his 10-month-old pet to sterilization, viewing it as an “act of cruelty”. Despite his willingness to comply with vaccination requirements, the threat of losing his dog looms large, if he refuses sterilization.
Kumar said, “My dog is just 10 months old...how can I be so cruel to get it sterilized. I can get him vaccinated, but if I don’t get my dog sterilized, my licence would be cancelled, and the dog would be taken over by the LMC.”
Similarly, Radhika, owner of a Rottweiler, finds herself in a difficult situation. Concerned over the well-being of her pet, she acknowledges that sterilisation is now her only viable option.
She said, “I will have to approach a veterinary surgeon to get my pet sterilised, This is the only option left.”
