Panaji: After Goa got its very own cow breed Shwet Kapila, the state is likely to get a dog breed indigenous to it to its name. The Goa State Biodiversity Board (GSBB) has identified a breed of local dog Luthi, which is thought to be peculiar to the state.The board is now on the lookout for a pure breed Luthi dog, and has informed the ICAR – Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute, Old Goa, to help carry out necessary genetic tests to confirm it as a breed specific to Goa.“The Luthi is a furless and lean dog. It is very calm by nature, but was traditionally trained for hunting of small game in rural Goa. It turns aggressive when hunting but proves docile enough to keep domesticated in regular conditions. Luthi dogs still exist in Goa’s remote areas, but we are looking for dogs which have not been interbred at all to be able to carry out the necessary tests and prove its uniqueness to this region,” said GSBB member secretary Pradip Sarmokadam.He said that for the process to be fruitful, at least 100 pure breed Luthi dogs are required for testing and other processes by the ICAR.Earlier, the ICAR-CCARI got the cattle breed from Goa Shweta Kapila registered with the National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources, Karnal, Haryana. The process was completed after carrying out the required testing, following identification of this complete white cattle found to be unique to Goa.“We have already informed the ICAR about the Luthi dog and we are circulating photos for identification of a dog of the breed for testing. We also appeal to the people to come forward to help if they have such a pure breed of Luthi with them. Luthi dogs are also known to be present in other parts of the Konkan belt and we are extending our search to these areas too,” said Sarmokadam.He said Luthi is a fast vanishing breed of hunter dogs from Goa and Konkan region.“Earlier, the ICAR, Old Goa, had started work of identifying this as an indigenous dog breed and of registering it as one. However, they were not able to find the required number of dogs, which is at least 100 in number in Goa. We had to therefore keep the project on hold,” the GSBB member secretary said.Now the efforts to identify the Luthi dogs have been reviewed.“We appeal to the biodiversity management committees to inform the GSBB with photographs if dogs of this breed are existing in your areas. If the required number of dogs are here in Goa then the ICAR will be able to register this dog breed,” said Sarmokadam.
