In February, following a spate of incidents involving “aggressive” dog breeds, the chief minister had announced that the Cabinet had approved a ban on ‘Rottweiler’ and ‘Pitbull’ dog breeds in the state. At that time, Sawant had said the government will bring an amendment to the Goa Animal Breeding and Domestic Regulations and Compensation Ordinance 2024, to include a ban on the sale, import and breeding of the two dog breeds across the state.

A government official, requesting anonymity, said: “The Ordinance was passed by the Cabinet, but it was not promulgated. Now, the Bill is being introduced. It proposes to ban import, breeding and domestication of ferocious dog breeds. The dog breeds that will be covered under the purview of the ban will be notified once the Bill is passed. Those who already own the notified ferocious breeds will have to sterilise them and register them with the Department of Animal Husbandry. Penalties shall be imposed for non-compliance.”

According to data shared by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in Lok Sabha in April, the number of dog bite cases in Goa increased from 8057 in 2022 to 11, 904 in 2023. In 2024, the number of dog bite cases further rose to 17, 236. In January this year, the state reported 1789 dog bite cases.

In January 2025, a 40-year-old man suffered injuries after he was bitten by a pet Rottweiler in Assagao in North Goa. After the incident, Assagao village panchayat issued a notice requesting owners of certain breeds (Pitbull, Rottweiler) “not to leave and roam with their pets in open public places”, adding that the offence would be considered as “punishable”.

In August last year, a seven-year-old boy died after he was fatally attacked by a Pitbull in North Goa’s Anjuna. The boy had accompanied his mother – a domestic help – to her employer’s house where his dog bit the boy on the neck and body. The incident had sparked outrage and a clamour for stricter regulations, including a ban on certain dog breeds.