Tracker · Updated October 2026
Banned dog breeds in India: what the 2024 list says, what courts did, and what still applies in October 2026
No dog breed is banned across India as of October 2026. The Centre's 12 March 2024 letter listing 23 "ferocious" breeds was quashed in Karnataka and set aside in Delhi. In January 2025 the Centre told the Bombay High Court it was not acting on it. Local rules are a different matter: Chandigarh, Ghaziabad, Kanpur and Panchkula restrict Pitbulls and Rottweilers, and Goa has proposed a four-breed ban.
Key findings
- The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying wrote to all states on 12 March 2024 asking them to stop licensing the sale, breeding and keeping of 23 breeds.
- The list as printed has 24 lines, from Pitbull Terrier to "Ban Dog", and two lines are open-ended: "Terriers" and "Mastiffs (boerbulls)".
- Six of the 24 lines match a breed we cover with a full guide: Pit Bull, Rottweiler, Dogo Argentino, Kangal, Rhodesian Ridgeback and Cane Corso.
- The Karnataka High Court quashed the letter on 10 April 2024, 29 days after it was issued, because stakeholders were not heard.
- The Delhi High Court set it aside in April 2024 and told the Centre to invite objections through a public notice before any fresh rule.
- On 24 January 2025 the Centre told the Bombay High Court it was "currently not acting on" the letter.
- Chandigarh's pet bye-laws, in force from 30 October 2025, bar 6 breeds for new owners, including the Bull Terrier, which was not on the central list.
- Goa passed its own law in 2025 and proposed in March 2026 to notify 4 breeds as ferocious; we found no final gazette notification by October 2026.
- Pitbull and Rottweiler appear in 9 of the instruments we tracked, more than any other breed.
Is any dog breed banned in India right now?
No. As of October 2026 there is no nationwide ban on owning, breeding or selling any dog breed in India. The only national attempt, a March 2024 letter from the animal husbandry ministry, was struck down or paused by several High Courts within weeks.
The Centre itself has stepped back. On 24 January 2025 its counsel told the Bombay High Court that the Union is "currently not acting on" the notification. It said it would decide after considering public objections.
That does not mean every city is open to every breed. Municipal bodies in Chandigarh, Ghaziabad, Kanpur and Panchkula have their own breed rules, and the Goa government has a 2025 law that lets it notify breeds as ferocious.
| Layer | What exists | Status in October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Central government | Letter dated 12 March 2024 to all chief secretaries, 23 breeds | Quashed in Karnataka, set aside in Delhi; Centre told Bombay HC in Jan 2025 it is not acting on it |
| Central government | Public notice inviting objections (2024) | Objections filed; no final notification found |
| State law | Goa Animal Breeding and Domestication (Regulation and Compensation) Act, 2025 | In force since 11 Sept 2025; breed notification proposed March 2026, final status unconfirmed |
| Union Territory | Chandigarh MC Pet and Community Dogs Bye-laws | In force from 30 Oct 2025; 6 breeds barred for new owners |
| City | Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation rules | Passed 15 Oct 2022; 3 breeds refused new licences |
| City | Kanpur and Panchkula corporation resolutions | Passed Sept 2022; Rs 5,000 fine reported in both |
| District | Faridkot Deputy Commissioner order | Issued 2 April 2024, mirrors the central list; current status unconfirmed |
The 23 breeds on the government list
The letter was signed by a Joint Secretary in the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying and sent to every state and Union Territory. It asked them not to license the import, sale, breeding or keeping of the listed breeds, including mixed and cross breeds.
It also asked that dogs of these breeds already kept as pets be sterilised. That clause is what the Calcutta High Court stayed first.
The heading says 23 breeds, but the list reproduced in the Karnataka judgment has 24 lines. The Faridkot order, which copied the list, joins Tornjak and Sarplaninac into one line, which gives 23. The Madras High Court noted that the committee report behind the letter named 25 breeds.
| Breed as written in the list | dogeats.in guide | Also named by a local or state instrument | Instruments naming it | National status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pitbull Terrier | Yes, /pitbull/ | Ghaziabad (2022); Kanpur (2022); Panchkula (2022); Delhi Cantonment (2022); Gurugram consumer commission (2022, stayed); Faridkot DC (2024); Chandigarh (2025); Goa draft (2026) | 9 | Not enforced |
| Tosa Inu | No | Faridkot DC (2024) | 2 | Not enforced |
| American Staffordshire Terrier | No | None found | 1 | Not enforced |
| Fila Brasileiro | No | Faridkot DC (2024) | 2 | Not enforced |
| Dogo Argentino | Yes, /dogo-argentino/ | Ghaziabad (2022); Gurugram consumer commission (2022, stayed); Faridkot DC (2024); Chandigarh (2025); Goa draft (2026) | 6 | Not enforced |
| American Bulldog | No | Delhi Cantonment (2022); Faridkot DC (2024); Chandigarh (2025) | 4 | Not enforced |
| Boerboel | No | Faridkot DC (2024) | 2 | Not enforced |
| Kangal | Yes, /kangal/ | Faridkot DC (2024) | 2 | Not enforced |
| Central Asian Shepherd Dog (ovcharka) | No | Faridkot DC (2024) | 2 | Not enforced |
| Caucasian Shepherd Dog (ovcharka) | No | Faridkot DC (2024) | 2 | Not enforced |
| South Russian Shepherd Dog (ovcharka) | No | Faridkot DC (2024) | 2 | Not enforced |
| Tornjak | No | Faridkot DC (2024) | 2 | Not enforced |
| Sarplaninac | No | Faridkot DC (2024) | 2 | Not enforced |
| Japanese Tosa and Akita | No | Faridkot DC (2024) | 2 | Not enforced |
| Mastiffs (boerbulls) | No | Faridkot DC (2024) | 2 | Not enforced |
| Rottweiler | Yes, /rottweiler/ | Ghaziabad (2022); Kanpur (2022); Panchkula (2022); Delhi Cantonment (2022); Gurugram consumer commission (2022, stayed); Faridkot DC (2024); Chandigarh (2025); Goa draft (2026) | 9 | Not enforced |
| Terriers | No | Faridkot DC (2024) | 2 | Not enforced |
| Rhodesian Ridgeback | Yes, /rhodesian-ridgeback/ | Faridkot DC (2024) | 2 | Not enforced |
| Wolf Dogs | No | Faridkot DC (2024) | 2 | Not enforced |
| Canario | No | Faridkot DC (2024) | 2 | Not enforced |
| Akbash dog | No | Faridkot DC (2024) | 2 | Not enforced |
| Moscow Guard dog | No | Faridkot DC (2024) | 2 | Not enforced |
| Cane Corso | Yes, /cane-corso/ | Faridkot DC (2024); Chandigarh (2025); Goa draft (2026) | 4 | Not enforced |
| Ban Dog (Bandog), any dog of the type | No | Faridkot DC (2024) | 2 | Not enforced |
- "Terriers" is not defined. Read literally it would cover the Yorkshire Terrier and Jack Russell Terrier, which no court or city has treated as dangerous.
- "Mastiffs (boerbulls)" is also open-ended. It can be read to cover the English Mastiff, Bullmastiff and Tibetan Mastiff, none of which is named separately.
- Breeds that are common in Indian homes and were not listed include the German Shepherd, Dobermann, Boxer, Great Dane and the Bully Kutta.
The open-ended lines matter because they decide whether an owner of a Bullmastiff or a Bull Terrier is affected. No court has ruled on how to read them, so we mark them as unclear rather than banned.
Six High Courts stayed or quashed the letter
Six High Courts acted within three months of the letter. Two removed it entirely, Karnataka by quashing it and Delhi by setting it aside with the Centre's consent. Calcutta, Madras, Kerala and Rajasthan granted full or partial stays.
The grounds repeat across courts. Judges found that owners, breeders and kennel clubs were not consulted. The Karnataka court also held that the expert committee was not set up as the rules under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 require.
The Madras High Court added a point about evidence. It observed that every listed breed was foreign and the letter showed no scientific data for the classification, while most bites in India are from street dogs.
Source: LiveLaw, Bar and Bench, SCC Online and Scroll reports of each order. Rajasthan HC stay (reported April 2024) is not dated and is excluded.
Show the numbers
| Label | actions |
|---|---|
| Mar 2024 | 4 |
| Apr 2024 | 2 |
| May 2024 | 0 |
| Jun 2024 | 1 |
| Jan 2025 | 1 |
| Dec 2025 | 1 |
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| Court | Date | Case | What the court did | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karnataka HC | 19 Mar 2024 | King Solomon David v Joint Secretary, WP 8409/2024 | Interim stay, applicable only in Karnataka | Confirmed (Scroll) |
| Calcutta HC | 21 Mar 2024 | Tanmoy Dutta v State of WB, 2024 SCC OnLine Cal 2815 | Stayed the sterilisation clause till 30 Apr 2024; import and sale ban not stayed | Confirmed (SCC Online) |
| Madras HC | 28 Mar 2024 | Kennel Club of India v Union of India | Interim stay; questioned the lack of data | Confirmed (SCC Online) |
| Kerala HC | 30 Mar 2024 | Writ by dog owners (Justice T R Ravi) | Partial stay; exact scope not published in reports | Scope unconfirmed |
| Karnataka HC | 10 Apr 2024 | King Solomon David v Joint Secretary, WP 8409/2024 | Quashed the letter; Centre free to act again after hearing stakeholders | Confirmed (LiveLaw) |
| Delhi HC | April 2024 (reported 18 Apr) | Sikander Singh Thakur v Union of India, 2024 LiveLaw (Del) 465 | Set aside with Centre's consent; ordered a public notice and 2 weeks for objections | Confirmed (LiveLaw) |
| Rajasthan HC | 2024 | Not reported | Stay reported by The Hindu in April 2024 | Unconfirmed |
| Madras HC | 5 Jun 2024 | Kennel Club of India v Union of India, 2024 SCC OnLine Mad 1786 | Barred a final decision before the next hearing | Confirmed (SCC Online) |
| Bombay HC | 24 Jan 2025 | Animal Rescue Trust v Union of India, PIL 58/2024 | Centre said it is "currently not acting on" the letter | Confirmed (LiveLaw) |
| Delhi HC | 9 Dec 2025 | Dinesh Kumar Roy v Union of India | Notice on a fresh plea to ban ferocious breeds after a Pitbull bite; listed 3 Mar 2026 | Outcome unconfirmed |
We could not find a Punjab and Haryana High Court order on the 2024 letter. That court's best-known breed order is from December 2022, when it stayed a Gurugram consumer commission order banning 11 foreign breeds.
Cities and states that restrict Pitbulls and Rottweilers
Breed rules that bite in practice are local. A municipal corporation can refuse to register a dog, and an unregistered dog can be seized under most municipal Acts. This is how Ghaziabad, Kanpur, Panchkula and Chandigarh restrict breeds without any national ban.
Chandigarh has the most detailed rules in force. Its bye-laws bar new owners from keeping the American Bulldog, American Pitbull, Bull Terrier, Cane Corso, Dogo Argentino and Rottweiler, including crossbreeds. Dogs registered before 30 October 2025 are exempt.
Goa went further on paper. Its 2025 Act lets the state notify any breed as ferocious after 15 days of public objections. Owners would then have 30 days to declare the dog and 60 days to sterilise it.
| Place | Instrument and date | Breeds named | Existing dogs | Penalty reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chandigarh (UT) | MC Pet and Community Dogs Bye-laws, in force 30 Oct 2025 | American Bulldog, American Pitbull, Bull Terrier, Cane Corso, Dogo Argentino, Rottweiler | Exempt if registered before the bye-laws | Rs 500 per violation |
| Ghaziabad (UP) | Municipal board decision, 15 Oct 2022 | Pitbull, Rottweiler, Dogo Argentino | Sterilise within 2 months to register | Not stated |
| Kanpur (UP) | Corporation resolution, Sept 2022 | Pitbull, Rottweiler | Reports say existing pets allowed with licence (unconfirmed) | Rs 5,000 and seizure |
| Panchkula (Haryana) | MC general house resolution, 29 Sept 2022 | Pitbull, Rottweiler | Move out of city or to kennels | Rs 5,000 |
| Delhi Cantonment | Army Station HQ circular, Feb 2022 | Rottweiler, Pit Bull, American Bulldog, Bullmastiff, German Shepherd | Barred in community living areas | Dog may be moved out |
| Faridkot (Punjab) | Deputy Commissioner order, 2 Apr 2024 | Mirrors the central list | Sterilisation | Not stated |
| Goa (state) | Act 21 of 2025; draft notice March 2026 | Pitbull, Rottweiler, Cane Corso, Dogo Argentino (proposed) | Declare in 30 days, sterilise in 60 | Rs 50,000, 15 days to 3 months jail, community service |
| Gurugram (Haryana) | Consumer commission interim order, 15 Nov 2022 | 11 foreign breeds incl. Pitbull, Dogo Argentino, Rottweiler | Confiscation ordered | Stayed by Punjab and Haryana HC |
Count of the central letter plus the local orders, bye-laws, drafts and court-stayed orders in the table above. Faridkot is not counted for American Staffordshire Terrier because its published list garbles that name.
Show the numbers
| Label | instruments |
|---|---|
| Pitbull Terrier | 9 |
| Rottweiler | 9 |
| Dogo Argentino | 6 |
| American Bulldog | 4 |
| Cane Corso | 4 |
| Kangal | 2 |
| Rhodesian Ridgeback | 2 |
| Tosa Inu | 2 |
| American Staffordshire Terrier | 1 |
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Goa: Act 21 of 2025, section 6. Kanpur and Panchkula: corporation resolutions as reported in 2022. Chandigarh: per-violation cap under the bye-laws.
Show the numbers
| Label | Rs |
|---|---|
| Goa (Act, once a breed is notified) | Rs 50,000 |
| Kanpur | Rs 5,000 |
| Panchkula | Rs 5,000 |
| Chandigarh | Rs 500 |
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Housing societies are a separate question. Many RWAs ask about breed, but the Animal Welfare Board of India's pet circular says societies cannot ban pets or discriminate by size. We cover that in our report on dog laws for housing societies.
Buying or keeping a Pitbull, Rottweiler or Cane Corso now
Most of India allows it, with conditions. There is no national bar, so the controlling rules are your municipal registration rules, your society's lawful bye-laws and general laws on negligence and public safety.
Check three things before you bring a listed breed home. First, whether your city refuses registration for it. Second, whether your city requires sterilisation or a muzzle. Third, whether your lease or society rules say anything about it.
Owners also carry liability whatever the breed. Goa's Act makes the owner of a notified breed solely responsible for injuries, and victims anywhere can sue for damages. The Karnataka judgment itself urged rules on owner liability rather than blanket breed bans.
| Breed | Pet-quality puppy (Rs) | KCI-registered puppy (Rs) | Beginner friendly (1 to 5) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pit Bull | 20,000 to 40,000 | 40,000 to 80,000 | 1 |
| Dogo Argentino | 80,000 to 120,000 | 120,000 to 200,000 | 1 |
| Kangal | 60,000 to 90,000 | 90,000 to 150,000 | 1 |
| Rottweiler | 18,000 to 35,000 | 35,000 to 80,000 | 1 |
| Rhodesian Ridgeback | 35,000 to 60,000 | 60,000 to 120,000 | 2 |
| Cane Corso | 50,000 to 80,000 | 80,000 to 150,000 | 1 |
- Register the dog with your municipal body. Unregistered dogs can be seized under most municipal Acts.
- Keep vaccination records current. Registration in most cities depends on a valid anti-rabies certificate.
- Use a leash in every common area. Ghaziabad's 2022 rules ask owners in high-rises to muzzle dogs in public, and Chandigarh's draft bye-laws proposed muzzles for aggressive breeds.
- Get third-party liability cover if you can. A bite claim can cost far more than the dog.
Prices and running costs for each of these breeds are compared with their legal exposure in our restricted breeds price versus legal risk report. Breed guides: Pit Bull, Rottweiler, Cane Corso and Dogo Argentino.
What would bring a national ban back
Both the Karnataka and Delhi rulings said the Centre may act again if it follows proper procedure. Delhi required a public notice and two weeks for written objections before any final notification.
The Centre issued that notice in 2024 and objections were filed. As of October 2026 we found no final notification in the Gazette or on the ministry's website, and no fresh letter to states.
Pressure for a ban continues. A Delhi High Court bench issued notice on a new plea in December 2025, after a Pitbull attacked a six-year-old. We will update this tracker when that case or a fresh notification moves.
- Delhi HC, Dinesh Kumar Roy v Union of India: plea to ban ferocious breeds and Rs 25 lakh compensation; notice issued 9 Dec 2025.
- Goa: final notification of 4 breeds under Act 21 of 2025, pending as of our last check.
- Bombay HC, PIL 58/2024: petition amended in January 2025; later orders not found.
- Madras HC, Kennel Club of India case: interim protection continued in June 2024; later orders not found.
Frequently asked questions
Is Pitbull banned in India in 2026?
No, not nationally. The Centre's March 2024 letter that named the Pitbull Terrier was quashed by the Karnataka High Court and set aside by the Delhi High Court. Cities such as Ghaziabad, Kanpur, Panchkula and Chandigarh restrict new Pitbulls, so check your municipal rules.
How many dog breeds did the government ban in 2024?
The letter of 12 March 2024 named 23 breeds, including mixed and cross breeds. The printed list runs to 24 lines because Tornjak and Sarplaninac appear separately. It was never notified as a law and is not being enforced.
Is the Rottweiler banned in India?
Not nationally. It appears in the 2024 central list and in 8 local instruments we tracked, including Chandigarh's 2025 bye-laws and Ghaziabad's 2022 rules. In those places new Rottweilers cannot be registered.
Which court quashed the dog breed ban?
The Karnataka High Court quashed it on 10 April 2024 in WP 8409/2024. The Delhi High Court set it aside in April 2024 with the Centre's consent. Calcutta, Madras, Kerala and Rajasthan High Courts granted stays.
Is the Cane Corso banned in India?
There is no national ban. The Cane Corso is on the 2024 list and on Chandigarh's list for new owners, and Goa has proposed notifying it as ferocious. Elsewhere it can be registered like any other dog.
Is the German Shepherd banned in India?
No. It was not on the 2024 central list. The only restriction we found is a 2022 Army circular for community living areas in Delhi Cantonment.
Can my housing society ban my Pitbull?
The Animal Welfare Board of India's pet circular says societies cannot ban pets or set size or breed rules, even by majority vote. If your city bars the breed from registration, the city rule applies regardless of the society.
What is the fine for keeping a banned breed?
It depends on the place. Goa's 2025 Act sets Rs 50,000 plus jail of 15 days to 3 months once a breed is notified. Kanpur and Panchkula announced Rs 5,000, and Chandigarh caps fines at Rs 500 per violation.
Methodology and limitations
We read court orders and official documents directly where they were public. Otherwise we relied on reports of the orders by LiveLaw, Bar and Bench, SCC Online and established newspapers. The breed list is taken from the Karnataka High Court judgment as reproduced by LiveLaw.
An "instrument" is any official document that names a breed for restriction. That covers the central letter, municipal resolutions and bye-laws, a district order, an Army circular, a state draft and a stayed consumer commission order. We counted a breed only where the instrument names it, not where a generic word could cover it.
Puppy price ranges are compiled by dogeats.in from breeder and marketplace listings for our breed guides, October 2026. Beginner scores are dogeats.in editorial ratings from 1 to 5.
Sources
- LiveLaw: Karnataka HC quashes the breed circular (WP 8409/2024), Quashing on 10 April 2024 and the full breed list
- LiveLaw: Centre tells Bombay HC it is not acting on the notification, Centre's statement of 24 January 2025
- Goa Act 21 of 2025, Official Gazette, via PRS Legislative Research, Goa breed notification powers, duties and penalties
- Also consulted: LiveLaw: Delhi HC sets aside the circular, SCC Online: Calcutta HC partial stay, SCC Online: Madras HC restrains final decision, Scroll: Karnataka HC interim stay, News Arena: Chandigarh bye-laws notified, The Tribune: Chandigarh new dog laws, The Tribune: Ghaziabad bans three breeds, The Tribune: Panchkula bans Rottweiler and Pitbull, The Tribune: Faridkot order, The Tribune: Delhi Cantonment circular, Verdictum: Punjab and Haryana HC stays Gurugram consumer order, The Goan: Goa moves to label four breeds, Bar and Bench: Delhi HC notice on fresh plea, The Hindu (April 2024) on Rajasthan and Kerala stays, Deccan Herald on the Kanpur resolution (September 2022), Zee News explainer on breed ban status (August 2026).
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