Born to Suffer - Last Push

Source: RSPCA.

More than 16,000 people have signed RSPCA's petition calling for the breed standards for pedigree dogs to be reviewed in order to prioritise health and welfare above looks (The Animal News 10th January 2012).  RSPCA plan to present the final petition numbers to the Kennel Club demonstrating the scale of public support for the breed standards to be reviewed.  

Check out the RSPCA's excellent guide to some of the health and welfare problems of 15 popular dog breeds most at risk due to their conformational issues. 

If you haven't already, please click here and spare a few moments to add your name to the petition and please ask your friends and family to do the same.

Born to Suffer Update

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I received a message from the RSPCA this week with regards to their Born to Suffer campaign.  A new report was released last week suggesting some of the UK's native breeds including the Red Setter are heading towards extinction because of the rise in popularity of more exotic breeds.

The "handbag dog" craze fuelled by our increasing obsession with celebrities is the most likely cause for the spike in popularity of dogs like the chihuahua.  The RSPCA says that small dogs bred to look a certain way regardless of their health, can be prone to breathing problems and broken bones because of their tiny physique.

Read more about celebrity pets and their exaggerated features in the RSPCA's special flip book.

If you haven't already, please add your name to this petition calling for the health and welfare of dogs to be prioritised over their looks and for breed standards to be changed.

Don't forget to tell your friends on Facebook and Twitter!

Thank you!

Born to Suffer

Source: RSPCA

RSPCA have announced a new campaign entitled Born to Suffer which is aiming to put an end to the breeding of dogs, based on how they look.  The RSPCA tells us that "it isn't just show dogs that may be suffering.  Many pedigree dogs never appear in shows, but many are bred by breeders who want to produce show-winning animals, and who sell their surplus dogs as pets."

Science shows that some of the most popular dog breeds have been bred to such extremes that they suffer difficulty breathing and walking.  Sadly, some dogs have a difficult time doing normal dog-like things such as playing and going for a walk.  The RSPCA says that a recent study has shown that the 50 most popular breeds have some aspect of their body which can cause suffering.

You can help by joining RSPCA's campaign and signing this petition calling for breed standards to be changed so that health, welfare and temperament of a dog is prioritised rather than how it looks.  Please ask your friends to sign too and don't forget to share this on Facebook and Twitter.  Once you have signed the petition you have the option of adding a "Twibbon" to your Twitter account, this is an icon showing your support of, and raising awareness for the campaign.

If you or anybody you know is thinking of buying or adopting a pedigree dog check out the health and welfare issues here first.

Thank you!