Blue Cross has vowed to tackle dangerous breeding among pugs and French Bulldogs, and we want to know what you think. The pet charity has accused breeders of being complicit in a "vicious cycle of over-breeding", and you can have your say in our survey below.
Becky Thwaites, Head of Public Affairs at the Blue Cross, told The Sun : “The Blue Cross is determined to end the poor breeding of flat-faced dogs and are considering all options both legislative and non-legislative to achieve this.” The call follows demands in Australia to ban flat-faced breeds, but Ms Thwaites claimed the charity "don't want to ban the breed, we want healthier breeds".
Blue Cross said the rise in “cute” advertisements on social media have led to a rise in demand for pugs and French Bulldogs. However many of the animals are being diagnosed with health issues, such as pulmonic stenosis and other genetic issues.
Have your say in the survey below. Do you think Pugs and French Bulldogs should be banned?
Currently, 20 per cent of dogs in the UK are flat-faced breeds, according to the charity. But due to the rise in popularity of such breeders, there have been growing cases of poor breeding with Blue Cross vets claiming to have treated 5,000 brachycephalic pets in the previous two years.
There are four breeds of dog that are banned in the UK: the Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Brasileiro. According to the government, a dog's legal status is based "on what it looks like, rather than its breed or name."
The RSPCA argues that dogs "should not be judged on how they look" and have called for the policy to be changed. Currently, police and council wardens have the power to take a banned dog away, even if it's not acting dangerously or if there has been no complaint. But, if the dog is in a private place then the police need to issue a warrant before they can seize it.
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