Many dogs live painful lives. They are bred with hereditary, serious diseases to ensure a specific breed appearance.
Animal Protection Norway fights to ensure dogs are bred healthy, rather than emphasizing appearance. Support us in the fight for healthy dogs!
– All dogs deserve a healthy and good life. Today’s breeding is systematic and organized, and for certain breeds, the breeding violates the Animal Welfare Act. Dog breeding is based on appearance and not health. Therefore, many of the dogs suffer from physical pain and diseases, or have psychological problems such as aggression or anxiety. We work to change the way dogs are bred so they can live healthy and pain-free lives, says CEO and veterinarian Åshild Roaldset at Animal Protection Norway. We are now taking legal action to save the dogs and create sustainable dog breeding.
Hereditary diseases
Animal Protection Norway works to change breeding methods because several dog breeds have extreme health problems. We believe this particularly affects the English Bulldog and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. The Cavalier suffers from hereditary diseases such as headaches and heart failure. A total of 25 different hereditary conditions have been identified for this breed. Approximately 70% of bulldogs are too ill to give birth naturally and must have a cesarean section. Many struggle to sleep and have gastrointestinal problems. Being born with a short snout means the dogs lack space for their airways and other vital organs in the head region. The English Bulldog suffers from a syndrome called BOAS because they have a short snout and insufficient space for their airways. These dogs also often suffer from skin fold infections, eye problems, breathing difficulties, vomiting, misaligned teeth, and they often struggle to groom themselves. Animal Protection Norway has chosen to take this case to court to stop the animal abuse.
Simple solution: change the breeding method
–We love our dogs and don’t want them to be in pain. Unfortunately, many of the dogs today suffer from hereditary diseases that can be difficult for us humans to see. If our dogs are to have good lives, they must have good health and a good temperament. To achieve this, the way dogs are bred must be changed. It is entirely possible to achieve this, says Roaldset.
She is supported by professor of animal breeding and genetics, Odd Vangen.
-There was great success for other breeds, such as the Norwegian Lundehund and the Norwegian Harehound, when they were crossed with other breeds to prevent inbreeding. They are now bred with the main purpose of having good health, rather than preserving a certain appearance. If we are to run a sustainable and healthy dog breeding program, we must remember that it is not only the appearance that counts. There are five characteristics that must be safeguarded in breeding; appearance, health, usage properties, mentality/behavior and fertility. We must ensure that we breed on all these five characteristics and not overfocus on appearance, says Odd Vangen.
– The dog is man’s best friend. We must also be the dog’s best friend, urges Vangen.
-My dog has severe, chronic pain
Irina Victoria Thoresen pets the French Bulldog Bloom (5) at home in Oslo.
– Bloom is so kind. He is trusting, fond of children, social and patient. Bloom is my best friend; a real companion dog that the whole family loves. I was not aware of all the health problems this breed struggles with when I bought him. The breeder didn’t tell me anything about it. I get so sad when I see that Bloom is in pain. It happens often. Bloom struggles with breathing, has a lot of allergies, conjunctivitis, has back pain and has had prolapse, sores on his paws and he cannot breathe when it is too hot. Now in the summer he cannot go out during the day and he cannot go on a plane trip, says Irina.
Afraid he will die
She does her very best to ensure that Bloom has as few problems as possible. He is allergic to a number of foods and to house dust mites, and Irina arranges with special food, always a dust-free apartment and a special bed. Bloom has special shampoo and receives daily care and washing of skin folds. Irina follows all the advice from the veterinarians. She has been to veterinarians countless times and spends a fortune on Bloom’s health problems and expensive allergy medicines.
– It is terrible to watch when he is in pain. I try to avoid everything that can cause him pain or suffering. I wash him carefully with wet wipes after every single walk, otherwise he gets big rashes and pain. It is so scary with his breathing problems. I am so afraid he will die of suffocation in the summer heat, as many of these pedigree dogs do, says Irina.
CEO of Animal Protection Norway, Åshild Roaldset, is a qualified veterinarian. She praises Irina for good care of the dog.
-Unfortunately, these are very common ailments for this breed. It is not acceptable that Bloom and other dogs are bred for a life with pain and health problems because some people emphasize dogs’ appearance more than health. We have to do something about this. Join and support our campaign #healthydog!
Support our campaign for better dog health!
Animal Protection Norway works to ensure there is more focus on health than appearance when breeding dogs.
We want all dogs to live good lives without pain and disease and are therefore taking the dog breeding case to court.
Support our work for healthy dogs here.
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