In a recent development, the Delhi High Court has declined to entertain a public interest litigation (PIL) aimed at banning and revoking licenses for the ownership of “dangerous” dog breeds, including pitbulls, terriers, American bulldogs, and rottweilers. A bench led by Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma suggested that the petitioner, Legal Attorneys & Barrister Law Firm, should initially approach government authorities with their concerns rather than filing a direct plea in court.
The Delhi High Court firmly asserted that this matter pertained to policy decisions rather than PILs, emphasizing the need to follow the correct legal procedure. The bench, including Justice Sanjeev Narula, advised the petitioner to communicate their grievances to the government before committing to a court application.
In the PIL, the petitioner contended that breeds like bulldogs, rottweilers, pitbulls, terriers, Neapolitan Mastiffs, and others were categorized as “dangerous dogs” and were banned in over 12 countries, including India. However, they raised concerns that the Municipal Corporation of Delhi continued to register these breeds for domestic ownership, even though such breeds had been involved in several attacks on people, including their owners.
