Owners of 'Ferocious' Pets May Face Jail Under Goa Bill

In a decisive move to tighten pet ownership laws, the Goa Assembly passed the Goa Animal Breeding and Domestication (Regulation and Compensation) Bill, 2025, on Wednesday. This Bill allows the state government to identify and ban any animal it considers “ferocious.” Backed by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and reported by Hindustan Times, the bill comes in response to rising incidents of dog attacks, particularly involving Rottweilers and Pitbulls, that have sparked safety concerns, especially for children.

According to the passed Bill, which will become a Law once it’s signed by the Governor, once a breed or class of animal is officially declared ferocious through a gazette notification, breeding, keeping, or importing them in the state will be completely prohibited. 

Owners Might Face Jail Time 

The Bill doesn’t stop there. It sets strict deadlines for pet owners who already have such ‘ferocious’ pets. They must report their pets to the Directorate of Animal Husbandry within 30 days of notification and ensure they are sterilised within 60 days. Non-compliance could lead to a jail term ranging from 15 days to three months, a fine of INR 50,000, and mandatory community service. In certain cases, courts may allow community service as a substitute for jail time.

The Bill also addresses public harm by offering compensation to people injured, or kin of those killed, by such pets. Claims must be submitted within six months of the incident and are required to be resolved within three months by the competent authority. The state’s Director of Animal Husbandry will maintain an official register of all such declared animals to ensure transparency and monitoring.

Banned Breeds 

This legislation follows the central government’s 2024 ban on 23 dog breeds deemed dangerous to human life. Among the banned breeds are Pitbull Terrier, Rottweiler, Dogo Argentino, Tosa Inu, American Bulldog, Cane Corso, Boerboel, Moscow Guard Dog, and other Mastiff and Shepherd varieties.

However, many states are still unclear whether this list is official or not.

With Goa’s new law, the state becomes one of the first in the country to introduce prison time for pet owners who fail to comply with such breed bans, blending animal control with public responsibility.