Animal rights group PETA on Friday wrote to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, urging him to prohibit certain dog breeds used for "illegal" dogfights.

The letter was sent to Kejriwal after a seven-year-old girl received over 15 injuries after she was allegedly attacked by a neighbour's dog in Rohini's Sector-25 area on January 16.

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said that a policy in Delhi aimed at prohibiting the keeping and breeding of pit bulls and similar breeds would protect both the dogs and the citizens from harm.

"This is not an isolated incident. If a policy is introduced in Delhi to prohibit the keeping and breeding of pit bulls and similar breeds, it would protect both the dogs as well as the citizens from harm," the letter said.

The animal rights group further said that breeds, including pit bull terriers, American bullies and Pakistani bully kuttas, are commonly abused for "illegal fighting" and kept on heavy chains as guard.

"This results in a lifetime of suffering and causes them to become fearful and defensive. Many endure painful physical mutilations such as ear-cropping - an illegal process that involves cutting part of a dog’s ears to prevent another dog from grabbing them during a fight," the letter added.

Recommending measures to overcome the problem, the PETA suggested that a crackdown on unregistered pet shops and breeders is necessary to stop illegal sales and adoption of community dogs should be promoted by the government.

"Apart from prohibition on dog breeds primarily used for fighting, it must be ensured that pet shops and breeders are duly registered under the law. Encouraging the adoption of local Indian community dogs and cats from animal shelters over the purchase of foreign breeds must be a vital part of any new dog policy," the animal rights group wrote.

"It would help reduce the number of community animals and should be encouraged alongside the sterilisation of all community dogs and cats," they added.

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