The Goa government has introduced a Bill in the Legislative Assembly aimed at prohibiting domestication, breeding and regulation of “ferocious” animals.
The Bill, titled ‘The Goa Animal Breeding and Domestication (Regulation and Compensation) Act, 2025’, proposes that the government may declare any breed or class of animals to be a “ferocious animal” through a notification published in the Official Gazette.
Earlier this month, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had announced that the Cabinet gave the nod to a Bill that proposes to ban the import, sale and breeding of certain “ferocious” dog breeds in the state. In February, the Cabinet approved a ban on the Rottweiler and pit bull breeds following a spate of incidents of dog bites.
The Statement of Objects and Reasons of the new Bill states, “The Bill seeks to provide for regulation of breeding and domestication of animals…The Bill seeks to prohibit domestication and breeding of ferocious animals.”
The proposed Bill defines a “ferocious animal” as meaning “dangerous and violent animal which may pose a danger to humans and other animals”. It says the government, before issuing a notification to declare any breed or class of animals as “ferocious”, shall issue a public notice inviting objections from the public. “No person after issuance of notification…shall domesticate, breed or cause to breed any animal of the breed or class specified in the said notification. No person after issuance of notification…shall bring or cause to bring in the state of Goa, an animal of the breed or class as specified in such notification,” the proposed Bill says.
It also mandates owners of notified “ferocious” animals to inform in writing to the Director of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services department about the ferocious animal in their possession within a month from the publication of the notification.
“The owner of the animal which is declared to be a ferocious animal…shall be solely responsible for the actions of such a ferocious animal and he shall also be liable if such ferocious animal injures any other human or animal,” the proposed Bill says.
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It adds that owners must sterilise such animals within 60 days from the issuance of notification and that the Director (of Animal Husbandry) will then issue a certificate confirming that the animal has been duly sterilised.
In case a person suffers an injury or is killed by a “ferocious” animal, the Bill states that the legal representative of the deceased person can file a claim for compensation against the owner of the animal.
The Bill proposes a punishment of simple imprisonment, which may extend to three months, but shall not be less than 15 days, Rs 50,000 fine, and community service for those who domesticate or breed animals in contravention of the provisions of the proposed Act. It states that the court may, in its discretion, order an accused to render community service in lieu of imprisonment.
The issue of dog bites came to prominence in Goa after a number of incidents in recent months.
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In January, a 40-year-old man suffered injuries after he was bitten by a pet Rottweiler at Assagao in North Goa. After the incident, the Assagao village panchayat issued a notice requesting owners of certain breeds (pit bulls and Rottweilers) “not to leave and roam with their pets in open public places”.
In August last year, a seven-year-old boy died after he was fatally attacked by a pit bull in North Goa’s Anjuna. The boy had accompanied his mother, who worked as a domestic help, to her employer’s house where he was bit by the dog on the neck and body. The incident had sparked outrage and a clamour for stricter regulations, including a ban on certain dog breeds.
