 |
 |
|
|
Explosive RSPCA-Backed Scientific Report Reveals Shocking Extent of Pedigree Dog Suffering
February 10, 2009 by Ryan O'Meara
“The Kennel Club, breed societies, and the pedigree dog showing community have formally endorsed the inbreeding of dogs”
“Much of the suffering which some pedigree dogs endure is unnecessary and a substantial part could be avoided with revised practices.”An explosive report in to the health and welfare of pedigree dogs is set to rock the organised world of dog shows, breeding and The Kennel Club as it scientifically confirms the facts that pedigree dogs ARE suffering as a DIRECT result of a shocking lack of attention for the well-being of pedigree dogs in the UK.
The RSPCA, who funded the independent study, have called for URGENT action to safeguard the welfare and future of pedigree dogs.The report confirms the worst fears of pedigree dog welfare campaigners who have been calling for more action to prevent the suffering of dogs as a result of outrageous and cruel breeding practices.
Its content resoundingly discredits the view that has been put forward by some that the world of pedigree dogs is not in a unmitigated state of disrepute leading to misery for thousands of dogs.
The RSPCA, Britain’s biggest animal welfare charity, is now calling for a summit of key stakeholders to discuss the way forward.
The charity withdrew from Crufts in the wake of the highly controversial documentary Pedigree Dogs Exposed, leading some to accuse the organisation of a knee-jerk reaction and exaggerating the extent of the problems.
This report not only fully vindicates the decision by the RSPCA to pull out of Crufts (along with other major welfare charities, the Dogs Trust and the PDSA) it also destroys the claims made by certain sectors that Pedigree Dogs Exposed was ‘all hype and no substance’. The details of this landmark study conclusively supports the findings and revelations made public in Jemima Harrison’s award-nominated film.
The 76-page study extensively reveals just how deep the problems are within the world of pedigree dog breeding and how the supposed regulator of pedigree dogs and dog showing has presided over a 100+ year disaster in relation to the protection of welfare standards in the breeding of recognised pedigree breeds.
The veterinary profession has not escaped unscathed:
“Society and sections of the veterinary profession have become ‘densitized to the welfare issues to such an extent that the production of anatomically deformed dogs is neither shocking, nor considered abnormal”
The report concludes that exaggerated physical features and inherited diseases cause serious welfare problems in pedigree dogs.
The study highlights four areas in need of urgent address:
* Establishment of the systematic collection of data on the diseases all dogs suffer from and causes of death.
* Changes to current registration rules to prevent the registration of puppies born from the mating of close relatives.
* Changes to current registration rules to allow new genetic material to be introduced into breeds. Currently a dog can only be registered with the Kennel Club if both its mother and father are registered members of that breed’s studbook.
* Monitoring of the effectiveness of any changes to breeding strategies.
Mark Evans, the RSPCA’s chief veterinary adviser, said:
“I hope this independent report will be seen as a constructive contribution to the debate and that it stimulates discussion amongst everyone involved in order to identify practical, evidence-based solutions that really make a difference.
“The RSPCA recognises that finding remedies for the many problems facing pedigree dogs is a difficult, complex challenge. But that isn’t an excuse to shy away from it – the fact is pedigree dogs need our help and they need it now.”
Commissioned by the RSPCA, Pedigree Dog Breeding in the UK: A Major Welfare Concern? is a review of the relevant science and has been compiled by highly respected scientists, vets and dog welfare experts who also propose possible ways of improving pedigree dog welfare.
Steps are already being taken to carry out the recommendation deemed most urgent by the report authors – the systematic collection of data on inherited diseases suffered by dogs.
The RSPCA is working with the University of Sydney and the Royal Veterinary College on a three-year research project to create a new, electronic, system for collecting, analysing and reporting data on inherited disorders in both dogs and cats. When complete, for the first time in the UK there will be comprehensive data to show the prevalence of inherited disorders in specific breeds. This will allow the effectiveness of any new breeding initiatives to be monitored.
Kennel Club Has Not Gone Far Enough
The RSPCA has welcomed the fact that the Kennel Club recently announced that it will no longer register puppies whose parents are closely related. However, the Kennel Club has defined close relative matings as those between mother and son, father and daughter or brother and sister. The authors of the RSPCA-commissioned report went one step further and recommend that grandparent and offspring and half siblings should also no longer be mated.
The RSPCA is extremely concerned about the unacceptably high levels of disability, deformity and hereditary disease affecting these animals, as is the public, following the BBC documentary Pedigree Dogs Exposed which sparked a national debate on the issue.
If you can work through these..Fairly lengthy report CLICK HERE for full report.
CLICK HERE - for summary