Ahead of the Scottish Kennel Club Championship Show (May 15–18), the event has come under criticism from animal welfare activists for its inclusion of brachycephalic, or flat-faced, dog breeds.
PETA has led the calls for breeds, including pugs and French Bulldogs, to be disqualified from the competition, citing a study from the Royal Veterinary College that found some brachycephalic breeds cannot be considered “normal dogs” due to the health issues they face, making it more difficult to breathe.
PETA Senior Campaigns Manager Kate Werner said in a statement, “It’s time to stop promoting breeds with deformities that make it difficult for many of them to breathe – let alone chase a ball – without gasping for air.
“PETA is calling on flat-faced breeds to be kept out of the Scottish Kennel Club Championship Show and encourages the public to instead champion healthy mutts – many are waiting in shelters right now, hoping someone will take them home.”
The controversy comes just weeks after mandatory health testing for flat-faced dogs was introduced at Crufts for the first time. Brachycephalic dog breeds were required to pass a new breathing test to take part in the contest.
Jane Ladlow, European and Royal College Specialist in small animal surgery, worked with Dr. Nai-Chieh Lui to develop a non-invasive method of assessing airway function in brachycephalic dogs, which led to the The Kennel Club/University of Cambridge Respiratory Function Grading Scheme (RFG), licensed in 15 countries.
RFG assesses dogs for brachycephalic obstructive airway disease, a breathing condition, with dogs at grade three not being allowed to take part.
The welfare of brachycephalic dogs has long been a controversial issue due to their increased risk of developing numerous health conditions. In December last year, members of the UK Legal Advisory Group on Extreme Conformation in Dogs (LAGECDogs) said that dog parents breeding from moderately or severely brachycephalic dogs could be committing animal welfare offences in England.
In 2022, the Oslo District Court in Norway ruled that breeding English Bulldogs and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels was a violation of the Norwegian Animal Welfare Act.
The Netherlands has also introduced legislation to prevent people breeding brachycephalic dogs, with vets in the country encouraging people to stop.
Did you know that dogs aren’t the only animals that can be brachycephalic? To find out more about other flat-faced breeds, take a look at our list of brachycephalic animal breeds
