THE import of certain breeds of dogs classified as “dangerous animals” such as pit bulls, mastiffs, the Tosa and the Presa have been banned.
Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture Minister Wael Al Mubarak issued edict No 10 of 2023 in this regard in the Official Gazette, with the ban becoming effective yesterday.
Pit bulls are types of dogs believed to have descended from bull and terriers. They have a controversial reputation as pets due to their history in dog fighting, a number of high-profile attacks documented in the media over decades, and their proclivity to latching on while biting.
The breeds of pit bulls that are banned include the Staffordshire terrier, American terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, American Bully and any mixed breed of those mentioned or their hybrids.
Mastiffs are large and powerful dogs, historically used as guard dogs to protect homes and property. However, they have also been used as hunting dogs, war dogs and for blood sports, such as fighting each other and other animals.
The banned mastiffs are: Brazilian, Argentinian or any mixed breed of those mentioned or their hybrids.
Also banned is the Tosa – a breed of dog of Japanese origin that is considered rare, originally bred in Tosa, Shikoku as a fighting dog and is the only breed still used in Japanese dog fighting, or hybrids.
The banned Presa is Presa Canario which is a Spanish breed of large dog of mastiff or catch dog type, originating in the autonomous region of the Canary Islands, and is found mostly in the islands of Gran Canaria and Tenerife.
The list also includes dangerous and carnivorous animals such as lions, tigers, jaguars, panthers, hyenas, foxes, wolves, alligators, baboons, green monkeys, chimpanzees, gorillas, spiders, snakes, scorpions, wild cats and bears.
Those excluded from the import ban are zoos, circuses, animal parks and research institutes or any other establishment that needs such animals in its work.
However, under the decision, special permits would be required.
The ministerial decision is inapplicable on police and security bodies and authorities.
A draft law on Dangerous Animals’ Possession that includes the above-mentioned animals besides Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers and Boxers is currently under study at Parliament’s public utilities and environment affairs committee.
Under the draft, acceptable breeds would be identified in by-laws following the issuance of the law. The concerned authorities would also set up a registry detailing where the animal was bred, its type, colour, any identifying marks, vaccine records and its electronic chip barcode, alongside the owner’s name, identity number, age, nationality and place of residency.
Other rules include insisting that dogs taken for walks remain on a leash or else inspectors would have the power to capture, seize and take appropriate action that would be determined through by-laws.
“It is a good decision to ban those dangerous or carnivorous animals as a first step as many people were importing dangerous animals mainly dogs topped by pit bulls,” said Southern Municipal Council chairman Abdulla Abdullatif.
“This at the moment will help control import, but the law that Parliament is currently reviewing, would be more comprehensive and needs to come as the next step,” he added.
“The general parliamentary-proposed law focuses on dangerous, rare, protected and disease-riddled species that shouldn’t be allowed into Bahrain in the first place.
“Other countries have similar rules. The UK, for example, introduced The Dangerous Dogs Act in 1991 prohibiting or restricting certain types of dogs and codifying the criminal offence of allowing a dog of any breed to be dangerously out of control.”
Under the Bahrain bill, individuals could be jailed for life and fined up to BD70,000 for illegal possession, spreading fear or using a dangerous animal to aid or assist in criminal activities.
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
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