The central government has directed states to ban the sale and breeding of 23 breeds of ferocious dogs, including Pitbull Terrier, American Bulldog, Rottweiler and Mastiffs, amid rising instances of pet dog attacks. The directive issued to states and Union Territories bars people from keeping as many as 23 breeds of dogs as pets. The Centre also said that these breeds of dogs, which have already been kept as pets, should be sterilised to prevent further breeding.