The battle to end the poor breeding of flat-faced dog breeds is well underway, says an animal welfare charity. The Blue Cross says they're "determined" to pursue both legislative and non-legislative options to end the breeding that can pose several dangers to the animals.
The charity believes the rise in "cute" advertisements on social media caused the rise in demand, thus causing the increase in unsafe breeding. This has then caused a rise in cases of French Bulldogs and Pugs being diagnosed with health issues, reports BirminghamLive.
Common issues with flat-faced breeds include breathing issues, and while the snoring can sound cute, the charity said it is actually because "they cannot breathe".
Read more: The adorable dogs looking for new families at Cardiff Dogs Home
Becky Thwaites, head of public affairs at Blue Cross told The Sun: "We have already started contacting MPs. Ultimately Blue Cross is determined to see the end of the poor breeding of flat faced dogs and are considering all options both legislative and non-legislative to achieve this." Do you think flat-faced breeds should be banned? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
The charity added that 20 per cent of the dogs in the UK are now flat-faced breeds, and the explosion in popularity has only exacerbated poor breeding. Blue Cross vets claim to have treated over 5,000 brachycephalic pets in the last two years alone. Other health issues for French Bulldogs include pulmonic stenosis, which is where the dog has 3/6 heart murmur, genetic in the breed.
However, the charity want to be clear that they don't want to ban the breed, but they do want "healthier breeds". Currently, there are only four banned breeds of dog that are banned in the UK. They are the Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Brasileiro. The government states that "whether your dog is a banned type depends on what it looks like, rather than its breed or name."
Get the latest news from WalesOnline straight to your inbox for free with our free newsletters
